Srinagar, May 20 (UNI) Former General Secretary of banned Jamaat-e-Islami Ghulam Qadir Lone on Monday hoped polls in Kashmir valley will no longer be rigged like 1987.
“We believe that the polls will not be rigged anymore like in 1987," the Jamaat leader told the media after casting his vote in Baramulla on Monday.
Lone had unsuccessfully contested 1987 elections as a candidate of Muslim Muttahida Mahaz (MMM).
“Assembly elections of 1987 which Jamaat contested on the platform of MMM were rigged by the then administration," Lone said.
“I don’t know how many seats MMM would have got at that time but I know the elections were rigged," he said.
He said his opponent, a National Conference candidate, was declared elected by 700 votes instead.
Lone also expressed his willingness to contest future elections if the ban on the Jammat is lifted.
Lone is the second Jamaat leader who has expressed his willingness to participate in the elections if the ban on the party is revoked.
Earlier a senior most leader of the group Ghulam Qadir Wani last week had expressed Jamaat’s willingness to participate in polls, if the union government lifts the ban on it.
UNI QAB KK