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SRINAGAR: Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti was re-elected as Peoples Democratic Party president for the term of three years. This is for the sixth consecutive time that Mehbooba Mufti got elected as president unanimously, party leaders said. The party election...

Srinagar: All India Congress Committee Incharge for J&K Rajni Patil on Thursday said that statehood restoration is a must for addressing alienation among people of the union territory. “For addressing alienation among the people, statehood should be restored to J&K with dignity and honour,” said Patil on arriving here along with former Union Minister and AICC Observer for ‘Hath se Hath’ Campaign, Bharat Singh Solanki and AICC joint secretary Manoj Yadav on a three-day visit. The AICC incharge will review the organizational affairs and activities and also interact with party cadres, the statement read. Patil said that Congress was for the real empowerment of the people in Jammu and Kashmir through the restoration of statehood. She said people are living difficult life and want an end to their miseries. She said that Congress feels duty-bound to work for the well-being of the people. “Congress has strengthened the democratic set-up of the country and it will continue to work in that direction despite the coercion and other pressure tactics by the ruling BJP,” Patil added. Urging the centre to start the developmental process in J&K, she said it had come to a standstill since BJP assumed power in New Delhi. “Mere claims and running paper horses with regard to the wellbeing of the people and development of J&K won’t serve any purpose. There is a need to address the developmental issues, rising unemployment and other major issues concerning the people, “she added. “The political philosophy that formed the edifice of the Congress Party’s agenda encompasses the true empowerment of the people through the restoration of statehood and legal safeguards for their land and jobs,” she said and added that the political empowerment of the people goes through the route of socio-economic development. “For addressing alienation among the people, statehood should be restored to J&K with dignity and honour,” she reiterated. JKPCC Working President, Raman Bhalla, former Minister Yogesh Sawhney along with other Congress leaders welcomed AICC leaders in Jammu who will review the organizational affairs and activities and will also interact with party cadres during the visit. Patil said that the party would monitor the active participation of all the functionaries and leaders to ensure the involvement of all party workers in the programme to further strengthen the organisation at all levels. The party would gear up its activities in the districts and constituency levels to highlight the policies and programmes of the party and expose the “wrong policies” of the BJP Government and its “failures on different fronts, " said Patil. UNI