Delay in elections as BJP fearful of imminent defeat: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, Nov 15: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah Wednesday said that the delay in holding Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections is because BJP is fearful of an adverse outcome and an imminent defeat.

According to a press release, Omar was addressing a one day workers’ convention in Pattan. The convention was convened by In Charge constituency Pattan Reyaz Bedar.
“The ULB elections considered as bellwether for forthcoming Parliament elections and an imminent adverse outcome for BJP and it's local minions will lay bare that the sentiment on ground is against the BJP and it's A, B, C and D teams,” Omar said lamenting the inordinate delay in the holding of ULB elections. He further added that the debacle would also be a resounding defeat of their propaganda on the revocation of Article 370.

On the occasion, the party vice president welcomed a number of socio-political activists into the party fold, hoping that the party will benefit from their experience in public life and social activism.
“In a democracy, everything hinges on elections but no elections have taken place in J&K for so many years,” he said adding that ruling BJP was in no mood to even cede low level decision making spaces like ULB bodies for local people let go having a duly elected legislature.

“LG sahib knew that the tenure of ULB bodies in J&K was nearing its end, so why was not the delimitation process carried out in advance? The reality is different, and it has nothing to do with the delimitation process. The BJP does experiments only to get results of its choice. Half of the work was done by the party through delimitation but even that work is now slipping out of its hands,” he said.
Omar said that he fails to understand that when he, despite being a former Chief Minister, and other top politicians were spending days and nights in detention in 2019, how come Altaf Bukhari was enjoying freedom. “Please tell us this secret, how and why you (Altaf Bukhari) were free,” Omar asked.