Omar is CM elected by people: Farooq Abdullah

Jammu, Jan 9: National Conference (NC) President and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah Thursday asserted that NC Vice President Omar Abdullah was a “Chief Minister, elected by the people and for him, only their (people’s) will and wish was his command.”

He also stated that problems on account of the dual power structure would settle after the restoration of statehood.

Abdullah was responding to media queries about NC MP Aga Syed Ruhullah’s “reported statement about the CM that he would be considered as Delhi’s representative if he (CM) did not confront Centre on the issue of Article 370 and statehood.”

“Let them say… they have their own perception and ideology. Omar Abdullah has been elected by the people. He is an elected CM. He does not take instructions from anyone or follow any diktats. He is subservient only to people, who have elected him. For him, people’s instructions and their will are supreme. Those who have any wrong impression about him (Omar) should come out of their reveries or wrong notions,” he said.

“We don’t have to take cudgels against Delhi. We don’t have to fight with the Centre. We have to work in tandem with the Centre, work in synergy with them to resolve J&K people’s problems and address their concerns. Those who want to pick a fight against Delhi can gladly do so. Tell me with a confrontational attitude, how we will solve issues of people,” the NC President said.

“There is a way in a federal democratic structure where state governments and the Centre work in unison to serve people. We are not here to fight with the Centre. We are here to fulfil people’s aspirations and their issues related to unemployment, health and education,” Abdullah said.

“We are not with BJP. We have nothing to do with them. But we have to work in tandem with the Centre to remove problems being confronted by J&K,” he said.

With regard to issues emerging on account of dual power structure, the former chief minister said, “All such problems will get sorted once statehood is restored.”

“I did not know about his involvement in this case (recruitment scam). Yesterday only we announced that he would not be allowed to be part of the NC till he was cleared of all charges,” the NC President said, in response to a question about an accused in a recruitment scam given entry into NC.

“As far as the alliance (INDIA bloc) is concerned, it will remain. Those who say it was for parliamentary polls only are wrong. It was not only for elections. It was formed to strengthen India and weed out hatred from the country,” he said, in response to media queries about INDIA bloc.

Regarding the stampede at Tirupati temple, Abdullah said that the government should make fool-proof arrangements to avoid such mishaps.

“Maha Kumbh is also on the anvil. The government should see to it that the people who come there should not face any problem,” he said.