NC- Congress alliance destined to fail like that of Gupkar: Dr Jitendra Singh

Srinagar, Sep 04: Union Minister and senior BJP leader Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the National Conference and Congress pre-poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir is destined to fail like that of the Gupkar alliance

He also dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent comments on the state of democracy in Union Territory . Rahul Gandhi had earlier said that democracy is absent in Jammu and Kashmir.

During a press conference here , Dr Singh questioned Gandhi's assertion, pointing out the visible signs of normalcy and peace in Kashmir . "Had there not been peace in Kashmir, how could the Leader of Opposition enjoy ice cream in Lal Chowk and relish kebabs in the city center," he remarked, referring to Gandhi's visit to an eatery and an ice-cream parlour in Srinagar's Lal Chowk during his August tour.

The Union Minister said that the situation in Kashmir has significantly improved, with terrorism almost eradicated and development projects advancing across J&K. "A fearless atmosphere is prevailing in the valley," he said, contrasting the current conditions with the past when elections were often marred by calls for strikes and disruptions.

Rahul Gandhi's during his speech in Ramban earlier in the day had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of spreading hatred, was met with a stern response from the union minister. He countered by accusing the Congress and National Conference (NC) of being the true instigators of division during their decades-long rule. "For 30 long years, it was the Congress and NC that spread hatred," Dr Singh said, underscoring the BJP's narrative of bringing stability and progress to J&K under able leadership of PM Modi.

He took the opportunity to address the ongoing alliance between Congress and NC, which has raised concerns within the BJP. He dismissed the alliance's potential impact, pointing to the past failures of similar coalitions, including the Gupkar alliance, which once dominated the political landscape in J&K. "Earlier, there was a Gupkar alliance—where is that now," Singh questioned, implying that such alliances are destined to fail.

The senior BJP leader confidently asserted that the BJP has established itself as the strongest alternative to the traditional powerhouses in Jammu and Kashmir. With the party's growing influence in J&K, he expressed optimism about the BJP's prospects in the upcoming elections, positioning the party as a force to be reckoned with in the changing political dynamics of Jammu and Kashmir.