People’s Mandate: Congress Declares Statehood Restoration as Top Priority in J&K

New Delhi, Oct 8: The Congress party, addressing the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, emphasized that its primary agenda in the newly formed alliance government with the National Conference (NC) is to restore full statehood to the Union Territory. At a press conference held at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, Congress General Secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, stressed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had decisively rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) efforts to secure a majority. According to Ramesh, the electorate’s clear and resounding mandate has empowered the Congress-NC alliance to move forward with their stated priorities.

The alliance, which secured a majority with 48 seats—42 from the National Conference and six from the Congress—has vowed to focus on governance that is accountable, transparent, and responsive. The BJP, which managed to win 29 seats, was accused of attempting to manipulate the electoral outcome in its favor. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have defeated the BJP’s mischievous designs to engineer a majority,” Ramesh asserted, highlighting the electorate’s refusal to be swayed by political machinations.

Ramesh underscored that the alliance government would pursue the restoration of statehood as its first order of business. “Restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is not just a promise; it’s a commitment we owe to the people. Our alliance is dedicated to providing responsible governance that aligns with the aspirations of the people,” he affirmed. He also mentioned that while the Congress and NC have their own manifestos, they are working towards a unified program to ensure comprehensive development and effective governance.

Acknowledging the results, Ramesh admitted that the Congress’s performance in the Jammu region fell short of expectations. “We accept that our performance in Jammu could have been better. There will be a thorough review and deliberation on the reasons for this,” he noted, indicating that the party is committed to understanding and addressing its shortcomings.

The Congress leader also alleged that until the final stages of counting, attempts were made by the BJP to influence the outcome in its favor. However, he commended the electorate for delivering a clear and unambiguous verdict that ultimately blocked the BJP’s efforts to form a majority.

In his statement, Ramesh reaffirmed the alliance’s commitment to work diligently towards the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing that the statehood restoration remains central to their governance plan. The coalition’s aim, he concluded, is to build a responsible and people-centric administration that fulfills the expectations of the populace.