Srinagar, September 22 2024 : – National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah has emphasized that the party’s pre-poll alliance with Congress for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections is designed to prevent a hung assembly and provide a clear path for government formation. Addressing reporters at a shikara rally in Dal Lake, supporting National Conference’s Zadibal candidate Tanvir Sadiq, Abdullah explained that the coalition aims to present voters with a unified alternative to a fractured mandate.
The National Conference will contest 51 seats, Congress will field candidates in 32, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) will contest one seat, according to the seat-sharing arrangement. The remaining six seats will see a “friendly contest” between the Congress and National Conference candidates.
“A Hung Assembly Will Benefit the BJP”: Omar Abdullah
Abdullah expressed concerns over the possibility of a hung assembly, suggesting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) might prefer such an outcome to justify the continuation of the lieutenant governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir. “The BJP would want a hung assembly to prolong the current system of governance under the lieutenant governor, but the people of Jammu and Kashmir will not allow this to happen,” Abdullah stated.
He further clarified why the National Conference decided on a pre-poll alliance instead of a post-poll one: “The alliance has been formed before the elections to ensure there is no room for doubt that a stable government will be formed post-election.”
BJP’s Minimal Presence in Kashmir
Abdullah also addressed the BJP’s lack of significant campaigning efforts in the Kashmir Valley, attributing it to the party’s minimal political standing there. “The BJP knows they won’t get anything from Kashmir. Their stance towards Muslims speaks for itself. Despite 16% of India’s population being Muslim, not a single Muslim was deemed worthy of a ministerial position in their government. This shows the BJP’s attitude toward the community,” Abdullah remarked.
Criticism of BJP’s “Rule of Three Families” Rhetoric
The National Conference leader also criticized the BJP’s repeated attacks on the so-called “rule of three families” in Jammu and Kashmir, which he claimed was an attempt to mask the party’s failures in the region. “In the past five years, the BJP has delivered nothing for Jammu and Kashmir. They have no achievements to showcase, so they resort to attacking the families who have been involved in J&K’s politics for decades,” Abdullah stated.
Voter Turnout and Rahul Gandhi’s Upcoming Visit
Abdullah highlighted the lower voter turnout in certain areas of Kashmir compared to the 2014 assembly elections. Citing the example of Noorabad (now D H Pora), where voter turnout decreased from 80% in 2014 to 68% this year, Abdullah urged the government to reflect on the reasons behind the decline despite the claims of normalcy in the region.
When asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s scheduled visit to Kashmir, Abdullah expressed his approval, urging Gandhi to make more frequent trips to the region to counter the BJP’s influence. “Rahul Gandhi should visit more often to boost the morale of Congress candidates and take on the BJP’s senior leadership. His presence will be crucial in this election,” Abdullah said.
The upcoming elections, with their complex alliances and voter sentiment, are set to determine the future political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, a region still grappling with its unique challenges amidst national political dynamics.
