Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Apr 19: Former Chief Minister and Vice President of National Conference, Omar Abdullah, today said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not exited the electoral arena of the Valley but is orchestrating affairs from behind the scenes.
Abduallah made these remarks while speaking to reporters in Srinagar. “While the BJP’s symbol may be absent, their candidates are distinctly present in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. I do not understand why there is a notion that the BJP is not participating in the elections here. I clearly see their candidates,” he said.
Highlighting the BJP’s engagements during their visits to the Valley, he said: “Observe closely whom the top leaders of the BJP met during their visits. It is not the NC or Farooq Abdullah; their preferences are evident. The lack of a BJP symbol does not mean they are not actively engaged in the electoral process.”
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Abdullah criticized Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement that the BJP would not field candidates from the Kashmir region in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls and interpreted Shah’s announcement as proof of the BJP’s failure to garner support in the region following the decisions made on August 5, 2019.
“It is perplexing why the BJP contested the 2019 elections in J&K, yet now refrains from doing so. Does this signify an acknowledgment of the BJP’s inability to win over the people of Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019?” he said.
Abdullah highlighted that the decisions taken on August 5, 2019, have exacerbated resentment and alienation in Jammu and Kashmir. “The BJP’s manoeuvring from the sidelines rather than stepping back demonstrates their continued influence,” he said.
Addressing the dynamics of alliances in Jammu, he drew parallels between the National Conference’s collaboration with the Congress and the BJP’s strategic engagements in Kashmir. “Just as the National Conference is openly supporting the Congress in Jammu, the BJP is involved in Kashmir, albeit discreetly. The difference is that we are open about it while the BJP is doing it secretly,” he said.
Reflecting on recent events, he indicated the intentions behind Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks of defeating the political. “It is evident whom the BJP aims to defeat in the elections-the members of the INDIA group and the National Conference and Congress. Their allegiances are clear,” he said.
Regarding his own electoral campaign, particularly in the Baramulla constituency, he underscored the broader struggle against New Delhi’s tyranny and those backed by the BJP. “My battle is not against individuals but against the tyranny of New Delhi and its proxies,” he said.
Responding to queries about the Alliance’s support, he confirmed mutual backing between the National Conference and the Congress in certain constituencies. “We are supporting Congress in three seats, reciprocated by their support in three of ours. Just yesterday, Congress’s Ghulam Ahmad Mir extended support to Mian Altaf during the nomination filing,” he said.
When asked whether the same support would be extended to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), he dismissed the possibility, citing the PDP’s decision to field candidates against INDIA group members.
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