Voting can safeguard Jammu and Kashmir's identity within Union: Peoples Democratic Party

SRINAGAR: Opposition Peoples Democratic Party today said the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is an empowered institution and through an exercise of vote it can safeguard its identity and politico economic intrests within the Union.

"The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is an empowered institution. It is only through an emphatic exercise of vote that the state can safeguard its identity and politico economic intrests within the Union," PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said at a workers' convention of Rajpora constituency here.

He said PDP has to play a crucial role in pulling the state out of instability, political uncertainty and economic mess.

Sayeed said the accumulated problems of the past decades have deprived the state of the fruits of economic development and social emancipation.

The democratic deficit in a major way contributed to political instability but the elections during the past decade and especially the recent Lok Sabha polls have invested the electoral process with a much needed credibility, he said.

The former chief minister said the fact that people have now realized the power of vote will make every government and political party accountable to them which is the essence of democracy.

"No government can henceforth disregard peoples aspirations and still hope to be in political field," he asserted.