Dares BJP to declare its CM candidate ahead of polls
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Dec 10: While ruling out possibility of pre-poll alliance with any political party for the coming Assembly elections in the State, former Chief Minister and National Conference vice president, Omar Abdullah today dared BJP to declare its candidate ahead of elections in J&K.
Addressing party convention here today, Omar said, “There is no question of any pre-poll alliance with any political party for the forthcoming Assembly election in the State. We will contest elections at our own. The NC will field its candidates from all the Assembly seats and a louder message should go to one and all with clear intentions of the National Conference that in coming elections it will not leave any seat for any party or group,” Omar asserted.
While training guns at BJP for its claims to have own Chief Minister in J&K, Omar said BJP’s balloon fell flat twice first by stitching alliance with 28 member PDP in 2015 and later while unsuccessfully attempting to form the Government by surrendering before a party with just two MLAs from North Kashmir. They didn’t bother about the aspirations and sentiments of the Jammu people who had given them a massive mandate, he added.
Omar slammed the BJP for threatening some MLAs of NIA and CBI action against them in a bid to buy their support before dissolution of the Assembly. “This too, did not work for them. The reports were substantiated by the statement issued by the Governor about horse-trading in the State,” he said, adding that the BJP’s overt and covert attempts were “assault on democracy.”
“With which face the BJP will now go to the voters of Jammu in upcoming elections, who know that after seeking their mandate they will again fall in the trap and lap of a few MLAs from Kashmir to share the power”? Omar asked and hoped that the sagacious voters of Jammu will show them their place for having deceived them during nearly three and half years of misgovernance, full of corruption, chaos and mess.
“Rattled over the imminent defeat and rejection by the people of Jammu, BJP is now looking out for escape routes on security front to have the elections delayed. How can the situation be conducive for holding the ULB and ongoing Panchayat polls with minimal voter participation in many areas and not the Assembly elections”? Omar asked, saying the same BJP will find the situation quite right when it comes to elections to Lok Sabha. He called for early elections and handing over the reins of governance to the people.
Referring to NC support to PDP and Congress before the dissolution of Assembly, Omar said this was a hard decision that had been taken in the larger interests of the State and the people, as the proposed BJP partnered government would have indulged in weakening the constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir and dividing its people on the basis of region and religion. He said those who claimed coming together of the three parties at the behest of Pakistan, had to eat up their own words.
He rubbished the claims about Government formation decision having been taken at Dubai or London and said the people know well who staked the claim for formation of Government from London.
He said the BJP has let down Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and referred to the resignation of the MP from Ladakh in protest against “false promises” made with the people of Ladakh region. He said BJP only spread false hood and failed to honour even a single promise made with the people of all the three regions of the State. The BJP set aside promise of according UT status to Ladakh and now have spread rumours of providing divisional status to Ladakh, just to befool Ladakh people before elections. They rejected the promises made with KPs, refugees, border people and others besides that of providing Rs 15 lakhs to all, he maintained.
Omar exhorted the cadre to gear up for elections, claiming that National Conference will go alone for polls. He said a single party government alone can meet the challenges confronted to the State, adding that his party will give a strong and stable government at the strength of the peoples’ massive support as NC has presence in every nook and corner of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
While referring to the `rumours’ with regard to rotation of reserved seats in the Jammu region, Omar said such rumours are being spread deliberately by BJP people. He said BJP has literally accepted its defeat before polls and now they were trying to use the office of Governor to go for rotation of reserved seats from where they are sensing their defeat. He said the Governor had assured the party delegation two days ago about no such move was under consideration of the Government.
Exuding confidence about massive victory, the NC leader said Jammu and Ladakh will have to hugely contribute to the strength of National Conference in giving a responsive and accountable Government. He said people of the State are fed up with the coalition type of Governments since 2002. They really want a stable Government which could deliver good to the people. He said a stable and strong NC Government is possible only with the support of Jammu and Ladakh.
Accusing BJP of misleading the people on Temple issue, Omar alleged that party built the tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat, but could not keep the promise of constructing a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
He said the BJP was reverting to its tactics of arousing religious passion for electoral success ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
“After four and a half years, the BJP is again talking about religion.You have made the biggest statue dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat. You had also talked about a Ram temple but did not keep the promise,” he added.
Omar said even a small temple, not the largest one in the world, would have worked. He said the BJP was now talking about the Ram temple to mislead the people.
“Now they are propagating it again. The processions are being carried out in Delhi, Mumbai and other places as the party is hearing the bells of defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls,” Abdullah said.
He said time has changed and now the voters are more interested in measures taken for their welfare, development works than anything else.
The party convention was also addressed by NC general secretary Ali Mohammed Sagar, additional general secretary Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal and Provincial president , Devender Singh Rana.
Earlier, former MLA and senior Congress leader, Swarn Lata was accorded warm welcome on her joining National Conference at the function.
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