Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [ Images ] and Congress President Sonia Gandhi [ Images ] on Sunday hailed the Jammu and Kashmir elections as a vote for national integration and democracy.

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While the prime minister said the vote was for national integration and democracy, Sonia said the election was a 'lesson to be learnt by our neighbours', an apparent reference to Pakistan.

"It does not matter who wins; what matters is the people of the Valley, people of Jammu and people of Jammu and Kashmir [ Images ] have expressed their faith in the democratic system. It is a lesson to be learnt by our neighbours," Sonia told media persons on the sidelines of the Congress Foundation Day celebrations in New Delhi [ Images ].

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Dr Singh, who was also present at the celebration said, "The large turnout is a vote for democracy. It is a vote for national integration. Therefore, we are all happy."