Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 17 (HBTV): Congress leader Pawan Khera on Monday said that the Congress-National Conference alliance will restore the right of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Jammu and Kashmir was a state whose rights were taken away, its statehood was taken away, it was made a Union Territory and it must get back this right. We will get back this right of Jammu and Kashmir," Khera told ANI. 

He said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have made up their minds to defeat the BJP. "If you look at the track record of Congress in the last ten years, be it Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, wherever we have formed governments we implemented our guarantees. People have faith in us. 

"We have put our entire agenda in front of the public in our manifesto...The people of Jammu and Kashmir have made up their minds. They have decided that if the BJP has to be defeated, then only INDIA Alliance parties should be voted for," he said. 

Khera said that if the Congress-NC alliance comes to power, then the government will work according to a common minimum program. 

"We as a party in this country are pioneers in terms of running successful alliance governments. We have done this in the past in various states, also in the centre. There is always a framework which governs the code of conduct for all allies, that framework is a common minimum program which you will see once the elections are over and the results are out. There will be a common minimum program in the framework of which we will all function," he said. 

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election is between the BJP and the Congress-NC alliance. 

Speaking at an election rally in Kishtwar on Sunday Amit Shah said, "The upcoming elections are between two forces. On one hand, you have the BJP which walks on the ideals of Pandit Prem Nath Dogra and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. It's clear to us that J&K was and will always be an integral part of India. When we fought against the idea of '2 Vidhaan and 2 Pradhan' for the country, the Congress Party, under the leadership of Nehru, opposed our campaign. Farooq Ji used to say that even if Modi Ji becomes Prime Minister 10 times, he cannot remove Article 370. Mehbooba ji used to say that if Article 370 is removed, there will be bloodshed. But our Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed Article 370 and established one flag, one leader and one constitution in the country." 

Assembly polls will be held in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases on September 18, September 25 and November 1. Votes will be counted on October 8.   

(ANI)