Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, May 31: Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma today said that the National Conference-led Government was on the verge of collapse, describing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s scheduled June 3 meeting as the “last attempt to save a sinking ship”.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a gathering to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat on the banks of Dal Lake, Sharma said the meeting called by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was intended to project unity among ruling party legislators. “Yesterday evening, we saw on social media that the Chief Minister had called an emergency meeting on June 3. I think this is the last attempt to save a sinking ship,” Sharma said.
The BJP leader referred to a recent dinner hosted at the residence of the Deputy Chief Minister, alleging that disagreements surfaced during the event and claiming that Abdullah had remained politically inactive afterward.
“I had called him the ‘Tourist-in-Chief’. He remained missing for nearly 15 days. When we said we would file a missing report at Ram Munshi Bagh Police Station, the Chief Minister reappeared. Since yesterday, a letter regarding the June 3 meeting is in circulation on social media,” he said.
Sharma said the June 3 meeting was aimed at reassuring legislators amid speculation about unrest within the ruling alliance. “The party is already broken. This meeting is being called only to show that everything is intact. No matter how many meetings they hold, their party is already broken,” he said.
Sharma claimed that people were waiting for news of the Government’s fall. “No matter how many meetings they hold, their house is already broken. People are waiting for the news that this Government has fallen. Everyone is waiting for that announcement,” he said.
The BJP leader further predicted that the Government would not survive for long. “I firmly believe that very soon we will hear that this Government is no longer in power,” he added.
Dismissing suggestions that Omar Abdullah could step down voluntarily, Sharma said, “Those who believe the Chief Minister will resign should remember my prediction. Even seven generations of the Abdullah family would never voluntarily resign from power.”
Sharma accused the Abdullah family of being unwilling to relinquish authority under any circumstances. “They are determined to remain in office at any cost. Even if the position of CM is reduced to a much lower level, they would still not resign,” he alleged.
The Leader of Opposition also targeted what he described as the politics of dynastic parties in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that two political families had benefited from decades of turmoil in the region. “For 36 years, Kashmir suffered while two families benefited politically. The so-called movement was not about the people; it was about keeping a few individuals and families in power,” Sharma alleged.
He further claimed that thousands of Kashmiri youth had paid the price during years of conflict while political leaders consolidated their positions.
Returning to the June 3 meeting, Sharma maintained that it was intended to prevent internal differences from becoming public. “This meeting is being organised only to ensure that those cracks do not become visible before the world,” he said.
Earlier, BJP leaders and workers gathered in Srinagar’s Khanyar constituency to listen to Prime Minister Modi’s Mann Ki Baat programme. Sharma said the monthly broadcast serves as a source of inspiration for party workers and the country’s youth. “Today, we listened to the programme along with party workers and local residents. The stories and experiences shared by the Prime Minister inspire the youth and motivate our workers,” he said.
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