J&K CM Omar Abdullah
BUDGAM: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah Sunday accused PDP of paving the way for the abrogation of Article 370 by aligning with BJP in 2015.“The termination of government employees’ jobs didn’t begin after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, it started during the PDP-BJP govt headed by Mehbooba Mufti,” the National Conference (NC) chairman said while campaigning for in the November 11 Budgam assembly bypoll.BJP hit back, accusing NC and Omar of having “no slogan except asking people to stop the BJP in Kashmir.”Opposition leader in the assembly, Sunil Sharma, challenged Omar to “swear that he doesn’t meet BJP leaders for tea, breakfast, or lunch.” Sharma alleged that Omar had approached BJP brass in Delhi offering to form a government together despite NC winning only 16 seats in 2014. “Let them tell people the truth… If he (Omar) swears by the Quran, only then vote for the NC,” Sharma told a rally, adding that Omar approached BJP for alliance after 2024 polls also.However, Oman rejected the charge. “I swear on the Holy Quran that I didn’t seek an alliance with BJP in 2024 for statehood or for any other reason,” the CM posted on X.Omar also targeted Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and jailed MP Engineer Rashid’s son, Abrar Rashid. Abrar had claimed that Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin would not have taken up arms had NC not rigged the 1987 elections. “Forget 1987 — let him talk about last year. He sought votes for his father’s release,” Omar retorted.The CM also took a swipe at rebel MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi. “He (Mehdi) chose to visit Germany instead of being here. Perhaps he thinks the air in Germany is better than in Budgam,” he said.
