NC will extend support to Congress in Nagrota: Omar Abdullah
Srinagar, Oct 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said that the National Conference (NC) has asked the Congress to field its candidate from the Nagrota Assembly constituency and assured that his party will extend full support to the Congress nominee.
“From Budgam, National Conference is contesting, while from Nagrota, we have asked Congress to field their candidate. The Congress leaders told us they would discuss it with the party high command. If they field a candidate, National Conference will fully support them,” Omar told reporters in South Kashmir, according to news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
Omar, whose party shares a coalition arrangement with the Congress, said the understanding between the two parties was aimed at ensuring a united front in the upcoming elections.
The Chief Minister also stated that his government still has four years of its term left and that its performance should be judged at the end of the full tenure, not prematurely.
“Don’t evaluate our performance in one year. We have set up a five-year agenda before the people. After our term ends, we will be accountable before them,” he said.
Reacting to PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s recent remarks that her party would consider supporting the NC in Rajya Sabha elections only if the government passes two PDP-sponsored bills, Omar said that the decision to table bills in the House lies with the Speaker.
“Our MLAs don’t decide which bill will be tabled in the Assembly. It is the Speaker’s prerogative. But I assure that we will not create any hurdles in pro-people bills,” he said.
The Chief Minister, however, refused to comment on People’s Conference president Sajad Lone’s allegation that the NC denied a Rajya Sabha seat to Congress at the behest of the Centre.
Acknowledging differences between the Jammu and Kashmir government and the Centre, Omar said those gaps could only be narrowed once full statehood is restored to the Union Territory.
“There are some differences between us and the Centre. Once they restore statehood, these gaps can be bridged,” he added.
