A day after taking oath as a Lok Sabha member from Srinagar, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah Tuesday held a National Conference version of "chai pe charcha" in the newly-turned BJP bastion Jammu.
Sipping tea at a carefully selected venue, the tea stall of one his ardent fans at Mubarak Mandi in Jammu, Mr Abdullah said the state was passing through a difficult phase and urged people to show grit "for restoration of democracy" and holding of the state assembly elections at the earliest.
Vowing to continue to work for the welfare of the people and development of the state, the National Conference chief urged people to have faith in the democracy, saying there is no substitute to a democratically elected government which reflects the aspirations of the people.