A day after being nominated as the candidate for the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chief Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said that he has jumped into the fray to carry forward his fight for restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

Azad, a former chief minister, said that Delhi and Puducherry-type statehood where every decision rests with the Lt Governor is unacceptable to us. We want the same statehood that J&K was enjoying during the regime of the Mughals, Sikhs, and the Maharaja.

“I will use my full power and influence for the statehood of J&K if voted to the Lok Sabha,” he told media persons in Srinagar.

“There are speculations that statehood will be restored in Jammu and Kashmir on the pattern of Delhi and Puducherry where the LG has to approve every decision made by the chief minister and his government. This is not acceptable to Ghulam Nabi Azad. Perhaps, it will not be acceptable to any Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Gujjar, or Pahari of Jammu and Kashmir,” Azad said.

Azad said that while he had several reasons for contesting the Lok Sabha elections, safeguarding the jobs and land of the people of Jammu and Kashmir was his top priority.

“For that to happen, we need full statehood as the Assembly can then pass laws which will reserve the jobs only for the people of the state while the outsiders cannot buy land here,” he said.

“I have fought for the people of the country in the Rajya Sabha whether it was the Congress or the BJP government. I feel there is a need for another battle in the Lok Sabha,” Azad said.

He said after the abrogation of Article 370, he fought for one month. “The result was that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah agreed to restore the statehood. I think this fight has not been taken to its logical conclusion,” he added.

Responding to National Conference leader Omar Abdullah expressing surprise at Azad’s choice of constituency to contest the polls, the veteran politician said, “This is my state. It would be wrong for anyone to say that you are an outsider. We are all Indians.” “I contested my first election from Maharashtra, second and third elections also from Maharashtra… Omar was probably in school at that time.

“Here (J&K) we are talking about adjoining districts. I am not coming in anybody’s way. I have a political vision, I have a political cause to fight for. If anyone has difficulty due to that, what can I do?” he said.

In response to accusations that he could join hands with any party, including the BJP, Azad said, “Those who want to become slaves look for refuge. I am the Ghulam of Nabi and do not need to go with anyone.”