Search the Internet          Tips

Heavens will not fall if J&K poll is postponed: Shabir Shah

Ram Jethmalani, chairman of the seven-member Kashmir Committee, is hopeful that Shabir Shah's Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party will take part in this month's state assembly election.

Jethmalani and his team met Shah and a party delegation for a second round of talks on Thursday. The meeting lasted over an hour.

Shah then arrived at Jethmalani's house at 10.15 am on Friday for a third round of talks. The deliberations are likely to continue for over two hours.

Jethmalani, former law minister in the Vajpayee government, told rediff that he was optimistic about a positive result.

"Yesterday we had a good meeting with Shah and his delegation. We conveyed Prime Minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee's message to our guests. In the light of the progress made during our second round of talks we decided to continue the discussions on Friday as well," Jethmalani said.

Jethmalani said all efforts are being made to impress upon Shah the importance of participating in the election.

Shah welcomed the participation in the election by prominent leaders of the People's Conference party, now led by the late Abdul Ghani Lone's sons. "This is a positive development and we welcome it," he said

"I am not running away from the election but before that we must know what are we contesting the election for. If we have to participate, it would not be people around me who would participate but Shabir Shah himself would participate," Shah said.

He wanted the election to be postponed to give the dialogue process initiated by Jethmalani's Kashmir Committee more time to conclude its deliberations.

"The heavens are not going to fall if the election is delayed by a few months to ensure greater participation by political parties across Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2002: The complete coverage

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report