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SRINAGAR: As the battle intensifies for the November 11 bypoll in central Kashmir’s Budgam assembly seat, Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has placed Iltija Mufti and MLA Waheed Parra at the forefront of its campaign, and their focus remains firmly on cornering J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah.“There are 50 MLAs roaming around Budgam right now, but tell me, where is the one MLA who is missing? It is the CM of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah,” Iltija said while addressing election rallies in Budgam on Tuesday.In the Oct 2024 assembly elections, the first after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the National Conference (NC) won 41 of the 90 seats, with Omar securing victories in both the constituencies he contested from — Budgam and Ganderbal.Omar, however, chose to retain Ganderbal, his home constituency, vacating the Budgam seat. This has given PDP a potent weapon to accuse Omar and NC of betraying people.In the bypoll, NC’s Aga Syed Mehmood is pitted against PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, with BJP’s Aga Syed Mohsin also in the fray.While the NC leaders are reaching out to people, CM Omar is in Jammu following ‘Darbar Move’, a biannual practice of shifting offices to Jammu in winters and Kashmir in summers. Both Iltija and Waheed are also targeting the Omar govt over PDP’s recent land bill that sought to grant ownership rights to residents who have lived for over 20 years in houses built on state land. PDP had dubbed it as “anti-bulldozer bill,” arguing that it would protect residents facing eviction notices. However, the legislation was jointly opposed by NC, BJP and Congress in the recent assembly session, with Omar saying granting ownership of houses illegally built on state land would “reward encroachers”.“When PDP brought a land bill to safeguard your rights and ensure that your land remains yours, what did they do? BJP called it ‘land jihad’, and Omar Abdullah joined them, calling Kashmiris land grabbers,” Iltija told the people. “Tell me, are you land grabbers? You are the rightful owners of your land, your dignity and your future,” she said.Para alleged the Omar govt had failed to initiate any development work. “In the last one year, have you seen your MLA? Have you seen even a single transformer installed, or any developmental activity?” the PDP MLA asked the people.“We have seen the surrender on Article 370, on waqf, and now a complete governance vacuum. He (Omar) has reduced our entire political struggle to mere business rules and tried to depoliticise Jammu and Kashmir,” Parra saidAccusing Omar of failing to deliver on any of his pre-poll promises, Iltija urged voters to support the PDP’s candidate.
