How can BJP form Govt if it isn’t contesting on majority of seats: Omar Abdullah

Kupwara, Sep 28: National Conference (NC) Vice President and former chief minister Omar Abdullah Saturday questioned how Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was claiming to form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir when it was not even contesting elections on majority of seats.

Talking to media persons after addressing an election rally in the Lolab area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, Abdullah said that BJP was contesting the election only on a handful of seats in Kashmir and Jammu they were not in a position to register win on maximum seats so they could not form the next government.

“If BJP is thinking to form the government through its B, C, D, and E teams then let me remind them they can't fool people,” he said.

Abdullah said that the reports of the first two phases suggest that NC and Congress were forming the next government in Jammu and Kashmir.

Slamming the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), he said that they sought votes from people in 2014 to keep BJP at bay but then went on to form the government with them.

Talking about statehood, Abdullah said that he was unable to figure out why J&K was reduced to a union territory and what benefit it rendered to the people.

He slammed Engineer Rashid for keeping mum and not revealing that the Centre was aiming to abrogate Article 370 and Article 35-A when he already knew about their abrogation in 2018.

Abdullah said, “Surprisingly, Engineer Rasheed said in an interview that in July 2018, Modi called him to his home and told him during an hour and 20-minute meeting that he wanted to remove Article 370 from J&K and that they needed his help. And Engineer Rashid clearly says in the interview, ‘I am with you for whatever good you do for Jammu and Kashmir.’ My question to Rashid is that if you knew, why didn't you tell anyone about this? Why did you not mention this in any speech? At least one lawyer would have tried to bring an injunction in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court might have stopped the government from doing so. Why did you remain silent?”

Referring to the case of Omer Khalid, a former JNU research scholar, he said that he had been incarcerated under similar charges but his case was yet to be heard for the last five years.

“If Omer Khalid's case was not even heard then how Rashid was granted bail,” Abdullah said. “Other than Rashid, four other individuals - Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam and Asiya Andrabi - have been booked in the same case but how has he been allowed to move out of jail when four others haven't been.”

He said that Rashid had been mentioning that Arwind Kejriwal was also granted bail.

“Let me remind him that Kejriwal has not been facing UAPA charges, so his bail was aimed for a specific cause,” Abdullah said “Rashid is a man of dual nature, who often contradicts his words and deeds. On one side he says that he will fight for the release of separatist leaders and on the other hand he embraces those who took down the signboard of the Hurriyat office in Rajbagh and went on to say that Yasin Malik should be hanged without further delay.”

Accepting his defeat in the parliament polls, he said that the people of north Kashmir chose emotions over practicality.

“People of north Kashmir deserve that Member of Parliament who will represent them in the Parliament, unlike Rashid who is out of jail only for 20 days. His sons launched an emotional campaign seeking votes for their father’s release and people without thinking about the feasibility voted in his favour,” Abdullah said.

He cautioned people to not fall prey once again at the hands of the Awami Ittehad Party.