J&K Results: Ram Madhav said, "We are favour of the UT getting statehood sooner rather than later".
Jammu and Kashmir will get its statehood but there seems to be some small print involved, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav indicated today. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, the leader who was in charge of the Union Territory, said the BJP has committed to a return of statehood "on the floor of the House".
But asked about a time frame for it, he said, "You remember one thing. Jammu Kashmir has travelled a lot of distance in the last 5 to 10 years. It gave up its terror-based identity, it is a very peaceful state in terms of separatism... even Jamaat has joined the electoral process. That is a very big achievement. But those in power in the state should be reassuring the people in Delhi that they won't bring those tendencies back into this region. Then full statehood is possible".
"There are people who are demanding the release of all terrorists in jail, demanding restoration of Article 370. With that kind of attitude, if they go to the assembly and then statehood -- how to release terrorists and separatists and all? That becomes problematic for the larger national security issues," he said. "But we are favour of the UT getting statehood sooner rather than later," he added.
The National Conference of Omar Abdullah and ally Congress have come to power in Jammu and Kashmir winning 49 of 90 seats. Both parties had made restoration of statehood their big election promise. It is a promise that was also reiterated by the BJP, but going by the results, the Valley appeared unconvinced.
The BJP had won 29 seats, all of them in the Jammu region.
In an interview with NDTV earlier today, Omar Abdullah, the leader most likely to be the Chief Minister of J&K had said he was willing to set aside the question of Article 370 and set up a working relationship with the Centre.
Asked to respond to this, Mr Madhav said Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not discriminate between states or consider which party is in power. 'We would certainly work for the good of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he added.