Jammu: Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday reiterated that his party would not enter the electoral fray to further or damage the cause of any other political party and it would not be proper to tag it or any party as “vote-cutter.”
He was responding to media queries after launching his new party and unveiling its flag here.
“We are not here to compete with anyone. We don’t have competition with anyone. We don’t have enemies. We will talk about our issues. They (political opponents) may discuss their issues. People are the real masters in a democracy. They will elect those, whose ideology or policies will impress them. So people will decide our fate by reposing their trust in the party of their choice. So to say that one party would act as a vote-cutter will not be proper. For us, Hindu, Muslims, Sikh and Christians are like the four-chambers of the heart. All are interdependent with no scope for hatred for anyone,” he said when asked if it (party) would not benefit BJP, would it harm any other political formation electorally.
In response to a question related to his statement on Article 370, which drew criticism from his political detractors, Azad said that he was not quoted properly.
“I never said that Article 370 could never be restored. I said that there were only three ways to get it restored – first to convince the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to retract (August 5 decision). I cannot convince them. If anybody else can, he or she may go ahead. Second way is – Parliament where we need to have a majority. And thirdly, it is the Supreme Court, which has now announced to hear the petitions after October 4,” he stated.
He averred that Article 370 and 35-A were given by the foresighted Maharaja Hari Singh and not Kashmiris. “Anyway I’m not in favour of making such issues as election planks,” Azad said.
He said that his party would contest on the development plank. He did not directly answer the queries pertaining to Rajasthan developments saying, “Let them (Congress) decide their issues among themselves.”
“Our priority now would be the registration of the party. Alongside, we’ll continue our activities. As elections may be announced any time,” he said replying to another query.