Jammu and Kashmir: Union Home Ministry Rajnath Singh on Monday said that there will no options left with the government other than abolishing articles 370 and 35A related to the special status to Jammu and Kashmir in the Indian constitution if someone talks about having a separate Prime Minister for the terrorism-affected state. Addressing a rally in Suchetgarh in the Valley, Singh asked the Congress to clarify its stand whether or not it supports such demands. “If someone talks about separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir, we will have no option other than abolishing Article 370 and Article 35A,” the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.

His reaction came a week after National Conference leader Omar Abdullah had said that his party will strive hard for restoring the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir that could include having a 'Sadar-e-Riyasat' (President) and 'Wazir-e-Azam' (Prime Minister). Singh said Congress must make it clear whether it accepts that the country should have two prime ministers. On terrorism, the home minister asserted that befitting reply would be given to those who take up arms. “If someone takes up arms, we can go to whatever extent required in order to give them a befitting reply,” he added.

Earlier in the day, BJP reiterated its commitment to repeal Article 370, which gives Jammu and Kashmir a special status and Article 35A, which allows the state's legislature to define permanent residents and pledged in its manifesto to work towards ensuring the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley.

Stating that the party is committed to overcome all obstacles that come in the way of the state's development and to provide adequate financial resources to all its regions, the BJP said in its manifesto that its position since the erstwhile Jan Sangh days has been for the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India.

The saffron party also said it is committed to annulling Article 35A, which it said was ‘discriminatory’ against non-permanent residents and women of Jammu and Kashmir. “We believe that Article 35A is an obstacle in the development of the state,” the BJP said in its manifesto titled 'Sankalp Patra', released here by top party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party president Amit Shah.

(With agency inputs)