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The ruling National Conference asked the people of Jammu and Kashmir to be ready for assembly elections, which can be announced any time.
"The assembly elections can be announced anytime," Omar Abdullah, Union minister of state for industry and commerce told a gathering at Shilvath village in northern Baramulla district on Monday. "You all should be ready to exercise your franchise without any fear."
His father and state Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah has already stated that polls will be held soon.
Omar Abdullah challenged the Hurriyat's claim of "being representatives of the people of the state."
"Let them participate in the elections and allow the people to decide who their true representatives are," he said. "The National Conference is the only party in the state which enjoys the support of the masses and it is because of this public support that the party has withstood the challenges posed by the decade-long turmoil in the valley."
He said despite all odds, the National Conference was making every effort to mitigate the sufferings of the people and its tangible achievements bear testimony to this.
Omar said, "The bold peace process initiated by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has provided an opportunity for all parties to work towards restoration of peace."
"If we lose this opportunity it will only aggravate the miseries of the people," he said.
Political observers here believe the NC may go for early polls if central interlocutor K C Pant begins negotiations with the Kashmir separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah. Pant is visiting the state soon to hold talks with Shabir and the former chief minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah.
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