PDP-BJP government marked beginning of Article 370 scrapping: Omar Abdullah

Anantnag, May 22: Former Chief Minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that the reason behind deferring the polls in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency became evident following the recent visit of Home Minister Amit Shah to Kashmir.

“We already knew that something was up their sleeve, but what exactly they were doing came to light only when the Home Minister visited Kashmir. They, somehow, wanted him to visit here to meddle in elections, Omar said while addressing an election rally in Aishmuqam area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

He said that the elections were deliberately postponed to harm National Conference candidate Mian Altaf.

Castigating the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for stitching an alliance with BJP in 2014, Omar said that people would not have witnessed a situation where they faced a threat to their resources and employment if PDD had not aligned with BJP.

“We would have not faced such a situation if they had held the hand of the National Conference”, Omar said.
He said that the NC had extended unconditional support to the PDP.

“I had told Mufti Mohammad Sayeed sahab that we would support you for the full six years without seeking a share in the ministry or berths in the upper house. Our only demand was to keep the BJP out, but he did not hold our hand”, Omar said.

He said that the Congress party was also willing to support the PDP.

“Lamhoon ne Khata ki Sadyoon ne Saza Payee (Mistakes made in moments were paid for in generations)”, Omar lamented.

Omar said that the formation of the PDP-BJP government marked the beginning of the scrapping of Article 370.

The former Chief Minister slammed the PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti for her recent remarks, where she termed Mian Altaf as an outsider.

“It is fine when you ( Mehbooba) contest from Srinagar, but when Mian sahab contests from Anantnag it does not suit you”, Omar said.

He was referring to the 1999 Lok Sabha elections where Mehbooba fought against him from the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.