NC-Cong tie-up confined to LS polls only: Rana
Jammu, Mar 24: National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana Sunday said the pre-poll alliance with the Congress was confined to Lok Sabha elections alone to fight the "divisive forces" in the larger national interest.
"This arrangement (pre-poll alliance with Congress) is confined to Lok Sabha elections only as the nation is confronted with a huge challenge posed by those believing in divisive and hate politics," Rana said at a function organised to welcome youth into the party fold here.
He said the tie-up with the Congress is a well thought out strategy for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections to unitedly fight the "divisive forces".
"The country is passing through a difficult phase and it is incumbent upon the compatriots to save it from the elements inimical to its secular fabric and hell-bent upon dividing the society on the basis of religion, race and caste.
"This is an unprecedented scenario, totally against the very idea of India, which assimilates diverse religions, castes, languages and races," the NC leader said.
For defeating the "dangerous narrative of hate and intolerance", he said all those believing in India's diversity would have to come together and "save" democratic spirit of the country.
"The youth have to play a definite and decisive role in this regard," he said and urged the youth to become the catalyst of change.
Rana said the "exploitative politics" has impeded development and throttled the openings in jobs for the youth.
"The BJP's promise of two crore jobs annually has not only emerged as a big hoax but also an insult to the youth who have been taken for a ride. The countrywide growing unemployment is reflective of the level of governance the nation has witnessed during the past five years," he said.
Rana exuded confidence that the people of Jammu, especially the youth, would ensure the victory of the Congress candidates, Raman Bhalla and Vikramaditya Singh, from Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Kathua parliamentary constituencies.
