Omar Abdullah questions PDP's 'secret' link with BJP

Bandipora, May 16: National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah today questioned the PDP’s “secret” links with the ruling BJP. He alleged that leaving PAGD by PDP and weakening the I.N.D.I.A bloc was all part of the plan.

Omar was talking to media persons at Bandipora during his election campaign rally .He is fighting against main rivals, Sajad Gani Lone of PC and now AIP party, of jailed Er Rashid, which had lately come under the spotlight after spontaneous supporters began rallying behind his son Abrar, campaigning on his father's behalf.

"PAGD did not break," Omar said, adding it was "still intact" and that NC, CPI (M), ANC, and others. "We all are fighting elections together. It was one party (PDP) which decided to fight elections separately," he said.

"Does this mean PDP was in PAGD because they wanted seats from NC? Our fight was for principles and for those rights that have been snatched from us after August 5, 2019," he said.

"Forming PAGD was not for seats for us, but apparently, it was the case for PDP. Should we assume the decision of Mehbooba Mufti to weaken PAGD and the INDIA bloc was because they have secret ties with BJP," Omar asked. He referred to Altaf Bukhari's statement when he was a PDP leader.

"These are not my words. Altaf Bukhari, who was once a senior leader in PDP, himself said that making an alliance with BJP was not a decision made after 2014. He said that the relationship was formed prior to that," NC leader said.

About Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Srinagar and the party's subsequent statements that people were happy with the decision of the abrogation of Article 370 and that voters are coming out in large numbers, Omar said, “ The polling is good because people are angry. They are angry because they snatched Article 370, our flag, our own constitution.".

He added , "If people are really happy, then why has not BJP fielded its candidates in Kashmir?" In another rally in Sonawari, Omar expressed surprise over Amit Shah's Kashmir visit amid general elections. He said in between election campaign Home Minister has arrived here because "he knows Srinagar seat has been taken by NC" and now they were "busy in a process to harm us in someway."

He also launched an attack of Sajad Lone saying his stand has changed on him and it is clear "he has accepted defeat" as his "sole aim is now just to see me lose the seat."