New Delhi: In a significant move to prevent division of votes in the coming Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on August 5 asked senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the newly-formed Jammu State Morcha to close ranks and fight the elections together.

During the two-hour meeting at the RSS headquarters, RSS joint general secretary in- charge of BJP Madan Das Devi told a BJP delegation led by party general secretary Rajnath Singh and Morcha chairman Shrikumar to arrive at some kind of seat adjustments ahead of the polls to prevent an "internal contest" within the parivar, Sangh sources said.

While the RSS-backed Morcha, a recently formed amalgam of 19 political and social outfits, is spearheading a movement for statehood to Jammu, the BJP is opposed to any such move though it accepts that the Jammu and Ladakh regions were "discriminated" against.

The RSS had been demanding the re-organisation of Jammu and Kashmir with statehood for Jammu and Union Territory status for Ladakh.

When contacted, RSS joint spokesman Ram Madhav said BJP leaders were receptive to the suggestion and sought time for further consultation with other party leaders.

"Both the parties felt that they can come together for the polls without any contradiction (in their respective stand). We are confident that some arrangement will be worked out," he said.

PTI