Omar Abdullah said it was not a coincidence that these jailed people are contesting polls against him. “They want to target only one person — the National Conference candidate from Ganderbal,” he said.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024: Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Saturday alleged that the BJP has “struck a deal” with some regional parties and a few independent independent candidates in an attempt to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a poll rally in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, the National Conference (NC) vice-president questioned the “silence” of Union Home Minister Amit Shah while mentioning parties with which the BJP will not form a government in the erstwhile state.
Omar claimed that Shah was “silent” about Apni Party and People’s Conference during his speech at the BJP’s manifesto launch on Friday.
“The home minister listed the parties with which the BJP will not form the government. He was, however, silent about the independents because they are hand in glove (with them). He was silent about Apni Party and People’s Conference,” the NC leader alleged.
#WATCH | Ganderbal: JKNC Vice President Omar Abdullah says, “…During a press conference in Jammu yesterday, Home Minister Amit Shah was saying the name of parties with which they will not be forming a government. There were many parties which were not even mentioned…However,… pic.twitter.com/RgUCdk4IVe
— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2024
“…those who have struck a deal with Delhi will not fulfill your demands. If you need evidence for this, just look at the statement of Home Minister Amit Shah in Jammu yesterday,” he added.
Abdullah said he was “surprised” that the Home Minister would “at least name the party of Engineer Rashid (Awami Ittehad Party) but he did not”.
‘Conspiracy from Delhi’
Omar Abdullah reiterated his claim that people who are in jails are specifically contesting against him and cited the names of Awami Ittehad Party’s Sheikh Abdul Rashid — who defeated him in the Lok Sabha polls — and jailed separatist cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Sarjan Barkati who is pitted against the NC leader in the upcoming assembly polls.
“I wonder why people in jail are after me and want to contest elections against me. What is the reason?” he asked.
Earlier, the former CM has suggested that Barkati, who hails from Zainapora, Shopian, was contesting against him as part of “a conspiracy from Delhi”, hinting again at the central government.
Abdullah said it was not a coincidence that these jailed people are contesting polls against him. “They want to target only one person — the National Conference candidate from Ganderbal,” he said.
Notably, Barkati is also seeking election from the Beerwah assembly seat, which was represented by Abdullah from 2014 to 2018.
Sarjan Barkati was a prominent face at the protest rallies in the south Kashmir districts of Shopian and Kulgam after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016. Barkati was first arrested in 2016 and booked under the Public Safety Act. He was again arrested last year and is facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
‘Have worked for Ganderbal in my previous terms’
The former chief minister said if the only criticism against him is that he does not live in Ganderbal, then it would be injustice against the people of the constituency. Candidates who have nothing to talk about raise issues like “local versus outsider”, he said.
“Wherever I may come from, I have worked in Ganderbal. I was MLA for six years from here and the MP three times. Leave aside that my grandfather was MLA from here, my grandmother was MP and my father was both MLA and MP for this segment.
“My request to my detractors is to put forth what they have done for Ganderbal and I’ll list my work here… Do you have anything to compare with the district hospital, the central university, the roads, physical education college and new administrative units? If you have done something to match these works of mine, I bear witness before God that I will leave the contest,” he added.
Omar Abdullah is contesting polls from Ganderbal and Budgam assembly segments which will go to polls in the second phase of voting on September 25.
‘BJP will explore possibilities’
On Friday, while releasing the BJP manifesto in Jammu, Amit Shah had expressed confidence of forming the government in the Union Territory.
Shah had asserted that “there will be no government by the PDP, NC, and Congress ruled by dynasties”, adding that “BJP will explore rest of the possibilities”.
(With PTI inputs)
