Shah’s visit was aimed at directing admn, BJP, its ‘proxies’ to defeat NC in poll, claims Omar

Advertisement

Naseer Ganai

Srinagar, May 18

Home Minister Amit Shah visited Kashmir to direct the administration, the BJP and its “proxy” parties to “defeat” the National Conference, party leader Omar Abdullah alleged on Saturday. Shah concluded his brief visit to the Valley on Friday, during which he met with several delegations, including local Sikhs, Paharis and BJP representatives, according to officials.

Targets Peoples Conference

Today, the Peoples Conference does not talk about winning the Lok Sabha poll, it talks about defeating Omar Abdullah. This tells you that all these parties follow the BJP’s instructions. Their only aim is to somehow defeat the NC. Omar Abdullah, NC Vice-President

Although his visit during the Lok Sabha elections led to speculation about meetings with some mainstream political leaders in Kashmir, there was no official confirmation of his engagements before he departed.

“We have not been able to understand yet what the aim of his visit was because the BJP has not fielded candidates here. First, there was a rumour that he had come for a security review meeting, but no meeting took place,” Omar told reporters in the Magam area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

The area is part of the Baramulla constituency, where the NC vice-president is contesting the Lok Sabha poll on May 20. Omar claimed that Shah’s visit was aimed at giving “directions to the administration, BJP and its B, C, D and E teams on how to defeat the NC.”

The BJP has not fielded candidates for the three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir but has unofficially supported some of the new political parties formed after the abrogation of Article 370.

Omar, a former Chief Minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, has been targeting the Peoples Conference, Apni Party, Democratic Progressive Azad Party and the PDP throughout his campaign, calling them BJP’s “proxy parties”. “These parties have come together to defeat the NC on the directions of the BJP,” he said. “But, people are with us, and we will prove that on June 4,” he added.

“Don’t you think it is strange that the person who used to claim until yesterday that he would win the elections has now shifted his aim. Today, the Peoples Conference does not talk of winning the poll, it talks about defeating Omar Abdullah,” Omar said.

Asked about claims that the NC had won elections in the Valley because of voting boycotts, Omar said the rival parties would later claim that the increase in turnout also favoured his party.

“Our opponents had to find an excuse for electoral losses. They used to say the NC benefited from the boycott, but now they will say that since the voting percentage has increased, it also benefits the NC. What can I say to that?” he said.

During a roadshow in Budgam, the NC leader said: “J&K is our territory, respect, identity. All of that has been destroyed. This all happened after our votes got divided and the NC became weak. Today our situation is very bad. The promises that were made in 2019 that Article 370 was a hindrance and the youth would be provided employment were all an eyewash.”