Jammu and Kashmir will have political stability and powergames for vested interests will stop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said todayon the government's decision to end special status to the state under Article370 and split it into two union territories, which come into existence fromtoday.

"Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are taking a step towardsa new future today," PM Modi said, addressing a gathering in Gujarat tomark the 144th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

"Article 370 only gave separatism and terrorism toJammu and Kashmir. It was the only place in the country where Article 370 waspresent, where in the last three decades, over 40,000 people were killed andseveral mothers lost their sons due to terrorism. Now this wall of Article 370has been demolished."

The government's decisions on Jammu and Kashmir were not todraw new lines on the ground, PM Modi asserted. "We wanted to build stronglinks of faith that even Sardar Patel had dreamed of for Jammu, Kashmir andLadakh," he said.

"Inspired by Sardar Patel, we are focusing on theemotional, economic and constitutional integration of the entire country."

According to the PM, Sardar Patel had said if the Jammu andKashmir issue had been in his hands, a resolution wouldn't have taken so long."He had warned that unification is the only way out. I dedicate theparliament's decision to Sardar Patel," he said.

Speaking on the Block Development Council polls in Jammu andKashmir last week, PM Modi said Article 370 had been used as an excuse to nothold the polls. "They were recently held for the first time and there wasa 98 per cent turnout, which reflects unity."

PM Modi also referred to what he described as decades ofalienation felt by the northeastern states. "There was a time when thechasm of mistrust between the northeast and the rest of India was deep. Therewere serious questions about the physical and emotional connectivity. That isnow changing," he said.