Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were being closely watched by the entire world following the massive turnout by the people.

Addressing a large Bharatiya Janata Party election rally in this border district town in the Jammu region, Modi said the people of the state have proved that the power of democracy was far greater than the AK-47 rifle.

“The world is watching these elections because of the massive participation by the people,” he said.

Modi expressed happiness over what he called seeing a new hope and expectation on the faces of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

“I am happy your dreams have come alive and you have decided to realise these.

“It is my good fortune that in Jammu and Kashmir, no leader from any other party has had the opportunity to see so many people as I have been able to see.

“Whether it was Ladakh or any other part of Jammu and Kashmir, people of the state have given so much love to nobody else and I will return this to you with interest,” he said.

“Your love for me will be returned through development and prosperity.

Modi said that people who were making guesses on television screens about who will form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir “should come and see the people here before doing their electoral arithmetic”.

“I am addressing you from a place where Pakistan is on the other side and border firings take place frequently, but the people of this land do not run away because of fear. I have come to salute these brave people who hear the loud noises of bullets on the border each day.

He said governments are formed in democracies to address the problems of the people, “but I ask you, have your problems been addressed?”

Modi said the BJP never had a state government in Kashmir and people know who their “sinners” were.

“Unless you punish those sinners, they will not understand,” he said.

The prime minister said the Congress was now blaming the National Conference for not allowing it to fulfill its programmes, and asked why the party continued to remain in the government with the National Conference.