A senior National Conference (NC) leader on Sunday cautioned the people against the "divisive politics" and said harmony was an imperative for steering Jammu and Kashmir to a new era of peace, prosperity and development.

"Polarisation may have short-term gains for opportunistic elements in the political arena, but ultimately it is detrimental to the larger interest of the nation and the state," NC state secretary Surjeet Singh Slathia said.

Addressing party workers at a village in Samba district, Slathia said divisive politics could only generate mistrust and apprehensions among different segments of the society and, therefore, it was needed to be contained by building trust among various communities.

"Let's make a pledge for further cementing the spirit of brotherhood by isolating polarising agents," the former minister said, stressing on the need of respecting each other's sentiments.

Without naming anyone, the NC leader referred to the challenges faced in the state and hoped that people would unite and isolate the elements inimical to peace and single entity of the state.

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