J&K turnout a vote for democracy: PM, Sonia

New Delhi, Dec 28 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi Sunday said the
massive turnout in frontier state of Jammu and Kashmir was a
"vote for democracy" with the party chief saying it is a
"lesson to be learnt by our neighbours", an apparent reference
to Pakistan.

Singh and Gandhi said who wins in Jammu and Kashmir is a
"secondary issue" and what matters is that the people have
expressed faith in the democratic system.

"The large turnout of voters is a vote for democracy. It
is a vote for national integration. As far as who wins or who
loses is a secondary issue," Singh told reporters on the
sidelines of a function to mark the 123rd Foundation Day of
the Congress Party.

Echoing the Prime Minister's remarks, Gandhi said "I have
been saying from the very beginning that it dosen't matter who
wins, what matters is that the people of the valley, the
people of Jammu, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have placed
their full faith in the democratic system which is a lesson to
be learnt by our neighbours."

Gandhi said she had been in favour of timely elections
from the very beginning.

"I have been saying from the very beginning that
elections should be held in time and I am glad that they were
held in time," the Congress President said.

The uproar over the allotment of forest land to the Shri
Amarnath Shrine Board and subsequent political upheaval had
led to Governor's Rule in the state and raised doubts over
timely conduct of elections.

The seven-phase elections in the state, which concluded
on December 24, saw 61 percent of the total electorate
exercising their franchise. PTI