Farooq campaigns in auto
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 15: National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah today accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to weaken his party by promoting new candidates in the upcoming Assembly elections, predicting they would meet the same defeat as in the last Lok Sabha polls.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Addressing a rally in Qasbayar area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, he said that after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A in 2019, the BJP attempted several political experiments by promoting new faces, but all efforts failed.
Click here to watch video
“Many new parties were formed, but their situation is clear. In the last Parliamentary election, their candidates lost their security deposits,” he said.
Omar further alleged that the BJP is trying to weaken the National Conference but would fail as people stand with his party. “This time, too, the Prime Minister will try, because he does not like the NC. But with God’s will and the public’s support, his words will not prove right,” he said.
Criticizing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Omar recalled how it won 28 seats in the 2014 elections by promising to keep the BJP out of power but later collaborated with them. “The MLA who won from Rajpora played a key role in bringing the BJP and PDP together. Today, they claim to oppose the BJP again, but why should we trust them after what they did 10 years ago?” he questioned.
Omar also accused leaders like DPAP chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad and Peoples Conference Sajjad Lone of targeting the NC. “Despite their attacks, the NC will remain strong,” he said.
He accused the BJP of using various methods to undermine his party, reminding the BJP of the sacrifices made by the National Conference over the past 30-35 years, with more than 4,000 workers killed. “We are the people who have kept the national flag flying in Kashmir. We do not work against the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today took an auto rickshaw ride to pass through the narrow lanes of downtown Srinagar to address an election rally in support of party candidate Tanvir Sadiq.
Abdullah, a former Chief Minister, was seen sitting in the auto rickshaw decorated with party flags and accompanied by one of his personal security officers and the candidate.
The other members of his security team and party supporters walked alongside through the narrow lane with NC red flag with a symbol of plough in white hanging overhead.
The security team equipped with bullet proof sheet surrounded Abdullah as he alighted from the auto to enter the election rally venue at Dagga Mohalla Rainawari which is part of the Zadibal Assembly constituency.
Abdullah was greeted by ‘wanwun’ (folk songs) by women supporters as young party workers danced and chanted slogans to welcome him.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
