‘Mufti should apologise for her party’s alliance with BJP’
Suhail Bhat
Srinagar Nov 9 : Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today accused the former PDP-BJP coalition Government of bringing only “destruction” to Jammu and Kashmir, while pledging to develop Budgam as a model Assembly constituency with a new university and an international cricket stadium.
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Speaking to reporters on the last day of campaigning for the Budgam bypolls, Omar said that the PDP-BJP Government “did nothing but push Jammu and Kashmir towards loss, unrest, and unemployment.”
The Chief Minister said that while institutions like the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) were made functional in Jammu, the AIIMS promised for Kashmir “has not even been completed yet. AIIMS is operational in Jammu, but the AIIMS facility promised for Kashmir is still under construction. It will take at least two more years to be built. What did they give to the people except destruction? They gave us 2016’s unrest, they gave us GST, and they brought laws that allowed the firing of Government employees,” he said.
Omar said that Mehbooba Mufti should accept her role and apologise. “SARFAESI Act and GST were implemented during her tenure. They brought the BJP here, which ultimately led to the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. What benefit did we get? There was the devastation of 2016, and she is yet to apologise for it.”
He alleged that the process of dismissing employees began not after 2019 but during the tenure of Mehbooba Mufti as Chief Minister. “It was under her order that Government employees were fired. So apart from destruction, this PDP-BJP gave nothing to the people,” he added. Click here to watch video
Omar said the NC was now working to “rectify that destruction” and bring development back on track. “I am not afraid of them. My only aim is to ensure that the people of Budgam get the right representation for the next four years,” he said.
“This one seat will not form or topple any Government. The Government is already there, and I am its Chief Minister. My job is to serve Jammu and Kashmir,” he asserted.
The Chief Minister said he wants to develop Budgam as a “model constituency” with the help of NC candidate Agha Syed Mehmood. “I have already told the Assembly that I want to establish a new university in this area and dedicate it to the people of Ompora. Along with that, we will build a big international cricket ground here where IPL matches can be played. Budgam’s advantage is that the airport, railway station, and bypass road are nearby,” he said.
Responding to a question about NC leader Ruhulla not joining the campaign, Omar said, “No one can force him. He chose to go to Germany. Maybe he likes the air of Germany more than the air of Budgam. But we like Budgam’s air more. We are among our people, listening to their issues, and fulfilling their demands.”
The Chief Minister appealed to voters to support the National Conference, saying, “If you press the second button on the EVM, you are not just voting for Agha Mehmood but for Omar Abdullah. You are choosing someone who will represent and serve you.”
Omar urged party workers to stay active until polling ends. “Do not think we have already won. As long as the last polling booth is open, we must keep working hard. The campaign continues till 5 p.m. We have to reach people and ensure maximum voter turnout,” he said.
Reaffirming his faith in the people, the Chief Minister added, “I am not afraid of anyone except Allah. Those who discuss their achievements should first tell what the PDP-BJP Government actually gave to Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from unrest, loss, and anti-people laws, they gave nothing.”
He appealed to the voters: “Go to the polling booth early on November 11, and vote for the light symbol on the second number. Every vote from Ompora and Budgam will strengthen the National Conference and our mission to rebuild Jammu and Kashmir.”
Swear on Quran, I didn’t: CM on LoP’s charge of alliance
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today refuted allegations made by the BJP that he sought an alliance with the ruling party at the Centre in 2024 for the restoration of Statehood.
“I swear on the Holy Quran that I didn’t seek an alliance with the BJP in 2024 for Statehood or for any other reason. Unlike Sunil Sharma, I don’t tell lies for a living,” Abdullah said in a post on X.
The Chief Minister was responding to claims made by the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma, who said that Abdullah approached the BJP in Delhi, willing to ally with them in exchange for Statehood.
Sharma has earlier claimed that Abdullah had approached the BJP in 2014 as well to form an alliance Government in J&K after the polls had thrown up a hung verdict.
“In 2024, he again went to Delhi and offered to form the Government with the BJP if the Statehood was restored. His offer was rejected, and he was told that we have been given a mandate to sit in the opposition. You (Abdullah) should go to a mosque or a religious place, take the holy Quran in your hand and swear that you did not go to Delhi for Government formation. He (Abdullah) won’t do it … But we are ready to say on oath wherever you want,” Sharma told reporters after an election meeting in Budgam.
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