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Kashmir talks only with elected representatives: BJP

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 18. The Bharatiya Janata Party is not for holding Kashmir-related talks with anyone but the newly-elected representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

Talking to anyone else, especially those who take their cue from Pakistan, will not yield any results, the BJP general secretary and spokesperson, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said today. "It would be a waste of time,'' according to him.

However, he was not sure whether his party would oppose talks with the leaders of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference, or representatives of other groups which did not participate in the elections, if the Centre were to initiate them directly or through channels like the Jethmalani Committee on Kashmir.

Asked directly if the BJP would oppose such a dialogue, Mr. Naqvi said that "the party's view is it will not produce results.'' This was the party stand at the moment, "what we want is talks with elected representatives within the framework of the Constitution.''

The "satisfactory" voter turnout in the first phase of elections on Monday had demonstrated that the people were not with the Hurriyat, which had called for a boycott of polls. "By coming out to vote, the people rejected those who act on signals from across the border,'' Mr. Abbas said adding that the international community should act against Pakistan whose false propaganda on the Kashmir elections had been thoroughly exposed.

The BJP did not favour greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, and it was also against trifurcation of the State into Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh, although it had an electoral pact with the Jammu State Morcha, which has made trifurcation its main poll plank.

The BJP was hopeful of getting "about eight seats'' together with the Morcha, which in effect would mean a reduction of the party's own strength.

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