Likely to contest from Ganderbal seat
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Aug 25: National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah today said that People’s Democratic Party (PDP) agenda is the same as of his party and asked Mehbooba Mufti to not field candidates against NC-Congress nominees for the betterment of Jammu and Kashmir.
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Omar’s remarks came during his address to NC workers in Ganderbal a day after Mufti said the PDP would extend complete support to the Congress- NC alliance and leave all seats in the elections for the coalition if it accepts her party’s agenda.
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Omar claimed that the PDP has copied his party’s manifesto and asked Mufti-led party to not field candidates against NC-Congress nominees.
He said the NC has prepared an extensive manifesto for the Assembly polls which has been copied by other parties. “We have not left out anything in the manifesto. Today, everyone has copied our manifesto. They should have kept some differences,” he said.
Omar said his party promised to provide 200 free units of electricity if it comes to power and “they (PDP) also said they will provide 200 units”.
“We said we will provide one lakh Government jobs in the first year, they also put that in their manifesto. We talked about reopening (cross-LoC) routes, it is in their manifesto as well. We talked about keeping the doors of dialogue open and they also said so. Almost everything that my colleagues put in our manifesto, they also put it,” he said.
On the PDP’s offer, the NC vice president said there was not much difference between the agenda of the NC and the PDP.
“They (PDP) said if the NC-Congress alliance accepts their agenda, they will not put up candidates. You have put all our agenda in your manifesto. You have already accepted our agenda and now there is not much of a difference between your agenda and our agenda. Then do not field candidates and come, we will build a better tomorrow for Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The NC leader said he has always tried to serve the people of Ganderbal in various capacities.
“You people gave me a lot of respect and love. I cannot forget that you sent me to Parliament thrice. You let me serve you as an MLA for six years. Had I listened to you in 2014, I would have been your MLA till 2018, even if in opposition. Now only God knows what will happen in future. But we have to work hard,” he said.
Omar, however, said he does not know what the future holds. “This is my first campaign meeting after the announcement of the assembly elections. It should have been in the constituencies going to polls in the first phase in South Kashmir. This may be a sign,” he said.
“I have not come to snatch mandate from someone nor give mandate, the decision lies with the party and the party president. But I will say this thing that we will not take a decision without consulting the party workers,” he added, regretting the decision of giving mandate to former MLA Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar in 2014.
Omar asked his party workers to remain cautious during the polls. “Money will be distributed like water in these elections. A number of agencies will distribute money but you have to remain cautious about the people who join our ranks but work against us,” he said.
Meanwhile, Omar said he was thankful to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for noticing his party’s election manifesto.
People who were not ready to read it, have now been compelled to go through it now,” he added.
“I am thankful to the Home Minister from the core of my heart for talking about our manifesto. For a small party, contesting an election in a far-flung area of the country, it is a huge thing that the country’s Home Minister has seen our manifesto,” he said.
To a question about the reports of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) leaders mulling to contest the polls independently, Omar said it was a welcome step.
“This is the beauty of democracy. I read in the media that JeI wanted the ban on it to be revoked so that they could contest the polls. Unfortunately, the election bugle was sounded and the ban could not be revoked”.
“Today, there are reports that they will contest as Independent candidates. Bismillah. We wanted them to contest on their own symbol in JeI’s name, but let them contest even as independents. Let them plunge into the field, bring their manifesto and their promises. Then it is up to the people to decide whom they would like to vote for,” he added.
Asked if he would contest the polls from Ganderbal, Omar said the party will take a decision on that.
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