Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 14: As polling was underway in Sonawar Assembly constituency in Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who is contesting from the seat, said his thoughts were with his parents who are undergoing an organ transplant in the UK.
“My thoughts are with my parents as they both prepare for surgery today. I wish I could be there with them but that wasn’t to be,” Omar wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.
The Chief Minister reminisced about his father’s presence during the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.
“Seven months ago when dad came out after voting for himself he quipped that he’d done a selfie. I guess now I’ve done a selfie as well,” he said in another tweet.
Farooq Abdullah was National Conference’s candidate for the Lok Sabha polls but had to taste his first electoral defeat at the hands of PDP candidate Tariq Hamid Qarra.
For the first time in nearly four decades, the 77-year-old President of the ruling NC, who is in the UK for treatment of failing kidneys for the last four months, has been unable to lead his party’s campaign in an Assembly election.
Taking to reporters after casting his vote, Omar said he was not worried about anti-incumbency as incumbency has its advantages too.
“There were number of good works which were completed in last six years. I am sure people will recognise them and reward with votes,” he said.
On the reported praise lavished by PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an election rally in Jammu yesterday, the Chief Minister said it was surprising as the PDP leader had opposed the BJP leader during the first four phases of elections.
“Suddenly, Sayeed goes to Jammu and discovers virtues in the Gujarat model. People of Jammu and Kashmir are not fools. They have seen his unique brand of politics and he will be justly rewarded for that too,” Omar said.
On the additional focus on polling in Srinagar district, Omar said it was due to the fact that it was the capital of the State and the National Conference had won all the eight seats in 2008 Assembly elections.
“There is an additional interest in how Srinagar votes because the media was highly critical of the flood aftermath and linked it to the election results. We will wait and see what happens in Srinagar,” he said.
The Chief Minister said his satisfaction over the work done over the past six years was not of importance as it was the perception of the voters that matters as they will make the decision.
“The change works both ways. At the moment we have 28 seats and if they (people) want change at best I will lose some of the seats I hold. But then, I should pick up seats that I haven’t held for 18 years plus. There are seats where National Conference has won for last 12 years,” he said.
Omar said NC was not looking at any post poll alliance as the results will be surprising.
“We will discuss this after December 23 (when counting of votes will be held),” he said.
Omar is contesting from Sonwar Assembly segment of Srinagar after he chose not to contest from his family stronghold of Ganderbal constituency. He was also in fray from Beerwah seat, in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, which went to polls in the third phase.
Omar said a BJP candidate, who has threatened to pick up gun over Article 370, has allegedly slapped a polling officer in the uptown.
In his tweet, Mr Abdullah said “The BJP candidate in Srinagar who earlier threatened to pick up a gun over Art 370 now slaps a polling officer. Well done.”
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