J-K statehood may be restored in October, says MoS Ramdas Athawale

Srinagar, Aug 8 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir's statehood maybe restored and assembly elections may take place there in October, MoS Ramdas Athawale said here on Thursday.

"Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Jharkhand perhaps in October. So the announcement on the restoration of statehood as well as the conduct of assembly election could perhaps take place in October," Athawale, the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, said at a press conference here.

He appealed to the people to come out to vote in large numbers when the election takes place.

"I congratulate the people of J-K for voting in large numbers in the Parliamentary polls. J-K is progressing well and record-breaking voting should take place in the assembly elections," he said.

The president of the Republic Party of India also announced that his party would field 10-15 candidates in the assembly polls in the UT.

Athawale also said at the time of the abrogation of Article 370, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured the public that the statehood of J-K will be restored.

Earlier, Athawale had called on J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhavan here.

"The LG told me that there was peace in J-K, but some elements have tried to create disturbances. However, the administration has done a lot of work to make J-K stronger," he said. PTI