Omar Abdullah says ready to recommend dissolution of J&K Assembly if statehood is restored

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said he has no objections if the Legislative Assembly has to be dissolved and fresh elections are to be conducted after statehood is restored to Jammu and Kashmir.

"I have read in a newspaper that statehood will be restored but assembly elections would have to be held afresh. Let them do it, who has stopped them," Abdullah told reporters at Gulmarg, 52 kilometres from here.

Abdullah, who was sworn in as the first chief minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in October last year, said that statehood is the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"I know where the story has come from. I know who planted the story in a newspaper here.... it was planted only to scare the MLAs. This statehood is not for any MLA or the government. This statehood is for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and we MLAs will not be an obstacle in it.

"If the MLAs are being threatened with the dissolution of the Assembly for the restoration of statehood, then do it. The day the state is established again, the next day we will go to the governor and recommend the dissolution of the Assembly. Don't try to scare us ... statehood is our right and give it (back) to us. Stop planting stories in newspapers, it won't work," he added.