National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said that his party would contest the next Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir alone. “We won’t have alliance with any party,” he said while addressing workers, reported Greater Kashmir. The state is slated to go to polls in 2019.

Abdullah said he was confident that his party would secure a massive mandate on its own, adding that a stable, strong and people-friendly government was the answer to the state’s problems. He said they will empower every section of the society politically as well as economically. “Immediately after forming the government, the National Conference will bring a legislation in the first Assembly session with regard to regional autonomy,” said Abdullah.

Article 370 bestows “special status” on Jammu and Kashmir. On August 8, the Supreme Court had admitted a plea challenging the legality of Article 370 of the Constitution and the special status it grants to Jammu and Kashmir. The court had issued a notice to the Central government and sought a response.

The NC president accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of “dividing the nation” along religious lines. “…the freedom stalwarts did not think in terms of Hindus, Muslims or Sikhs but their paramount mission was to seek freedom for India, the abode of all faiths,” Abdullah said, according to PTI.

He added that the Centre should have taken a stand after the United States officially acknowledged Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. “Like United Kingdom, France and other countries, New Delhi should have taken a position over the disputed status of Jerusalem,” he added. On December 7, India said its position on Palestine was not determined by a third country. “India’s position on Palestine is independent and consistent,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said hours after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.