Jammu, Nov 10: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Saturday said the main opposition – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – was losing ground in the Valley due to the Jammu-specific policy adopted by the party for the past few years.
“We have preferred not to organize big shows and rallies in the last few years as such some people are giving an impression that we have lost our base in Jammu region”, Omar told office bearers of various units of National Conference (NC), during a day long convention, here.
“They (PDP leaders) have been organizing functions, though with negligible audiences, across the region”, he said adding that it was a different question that the party (PDP) was losing its ground in Valley due to the extra focus of its leadership on Jammu region.
He told NC cadres that time was running short as the party had only one year left to fulfill promises made with the people at the time of elections. “Next year will be election year so we have to strengthen and activate ourselves”.
The party, he announced, will hold a grand rally in Jammu on December 16. “List of achievements registered by his government on peace and development fronts during the last about four years are huge and open to all”, he said asking the party workers to make people aware of these achievements and peace initiatives taken to bring stability and tranquility in the state.
Omar, who is also working president of NC, said his party represents aspirations of common people and its selfless service to public has always been above any consideration of creed, caste, color, region or religion.
NC has always stood for secularism and equitable development of the state without any discrimination with any region, he said.
Several NC including Provincial President leader Rattan Lal Gupta, Minister for Industries and Commerce, Surjeet Singh Slathia, Political Advisor to Chief Minister, Devender Singh Rana, Ajay Sadhotra, Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Rachpal Singh, Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy, Bimla Luthra, Lakshmi Dutta, Master Noor Hussain and others also addressed the meeting.

NC DEMANDS DEMILITARIZATION
PTI adds from Srinagar: Favoring sustained dialogue between India and Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues, NC today called for demilitarization of the state.
"India and Pakistan should intensify dialogue process so that the entire area (of Jammu and Kashmir) becomes a non-military zone," Additional General Secretary of the party Sheikh Mustafa Kamal said while addressing District's Working Committee of the party here.
Claiming that no solution can be possible without NC being a part of it, Kamal, who is the uncle of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, said that the leadership of India and Pakistan should join hands and understand that dialogue is the only way to resolve the Kashmir issue.
Apparently referring to the separatists, the National Conference leader said "those who have not taken part in the dialogue process so far should also join."
Demanding immediate opening of Sawalakote road linking divided parts of Kashmir, Kamal said the party has always favored reopening of all the traditional routes with Pakistan for trade.
"Once the traditional routes are open it will create a favorable atmosphere for talks. It will also help business community of both the countries to export and important commodities," he added.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 10 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 10 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST