Congress-NC alliance for betterment of J&K: Sachin Pilot

Jaipur, Aug 28: Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday said his party has formed an alliance with the National Conference for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls for the betterment of the erstwhile state.

The former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said the Congress-NC alliance is not a new one as it was there for the Lok Sabha polls as well.

Talking to reporters at Dantali in Jaipur, Pilot said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had stitched up an alliance with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir and later, put its leaders in jail.

"We have formed an alliance for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls for the betterment of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Centre is ruling the (erstwhile) state from Delhi. Atrocities are being committed against the people there. We have forged the alliance so that people have faith in democracy," he said.

The Centre abrogated the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019 and state the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories.

Pilot said the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) of opposition parties is not a new one.

"It is not a new alliance. The INDI Alliance was formed before the Lok Sabha polls. When the BJP formed an alliance with the PDP, it put them (PDP leaders) in jail. So there is a lot of difference between their (BJP's) words and actions. People have understood everything," he said.

Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1, and the counting of votes will be taken up on October 4.

Asked about the upcoming Assembly bypolls in Rajasthan, Pilot said, "All our leaders have made preparations. There was a meeting on Tuesday and a meeting was held on Wednesday as well. The workers and leaders are united and looking at the Lok Sabha poll results, I feel that the wind is now in favour of the Congress and the BJP will lose. I feel we will win all the six seats."

Expressing concern over the law-and-order situation in the desert state, the Congress leader said the number of violent incidents is increasing in Rajasthan.

"Recently, there have been many incidents of rape and robbery. I hope that the state government will take very serious and strict steps to instill confidence in people," he said.

On remarks made against him by the BJP's state in-charge, Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, Pilot said, "Those who know me, know my politics. I have never crossed the limits of dignity and restraint, and even our biggest opponents will say that politics should be based on issues and principles. I have always used dignified language and will continue to do so in the future."

Reacting to protests by Youth Congress workers across the state on Tuesday against his statements, Agarwal on Wednesday said Pilot will be responsible if there is any threat to his life during his stay in Rajasthan.