National Conference (NC) vice president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday conceded defeat to Independent candidate Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency in North Kashmir. In a social media post, he said it was “time to accept the inevitable” as the voters have spoken.
Tag: Omar Abdullah
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Anantnag-Rajouri Election To Be Postponed? Omar, Mehbooba Voice Concern On ECI’s Query |
Former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir – Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah today urged the Election Commission of India to not postpone the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha polls. The two leaders’ remarks came after the Election Commission of India wrote to the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir and the Chief Electoral Officer of the region seeking a report about the constituency and the need for postponing the polls. The ECI wrote to the state election officer after several political parties including the BJP, Apni Party, and J&K Peoples’ Conference wrote to the ECI demanding the postponement of the polls citing adverse road conditions and inclement weather.
Responding to this, both Omar and Mehbooba wrote to the ECI, alleging that the BJP and its A, B, C teams are sensing defeat and thus making excuses regarding weather conditions. PDP chief and Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency candidate Mehbooba Mufti accused the BJP of attempting to sabotage the electoral process in the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency.
Mufti stated, “The BJP and other parties who have ganged up against me want to prevent me from reaching Parliament. The support I’m receiving from people across party lines in both the Kashmir and Jammu regions is making these parties fearful of my influence among the people, prompting them to write to the ECI to defer the polls for the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat.”
Mufti further asserted that the demand is entirely illogical as only a few days remain until the polls. She appealed to the ECI not to postpone the polls for the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency under any circumstances, stating, “This action would convey the wrong message, eroding trust in the electoral process and resulting in serious consequences.” Mehbooba Mufti wrote a detailed letter to the ECI demanding that the polls for the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary constituency not be deferred.
NC Vice President Omar Abdullah addressed a press conference at the party headquarters in Srinagar over the issue opposing the postponement of the polls. “When they sense that the NC has the upper hand and the establishment-backed candidate is losing, they resort to these tactics. We have witnessed this in the past as well; when the former CM’s brother was on the verge of losing and the Anantnag elections were postponed, then no elections happened. The BJP and partner parties, along with the ECI, are attempting to do the same, citing the Mughal road problem.”
Abdullah added, “Some parties among those who have written this letter have nothing to do with these elections since they haven’t fielded a candidate, such as the People’s Conference and the BJP. Should I write a letter tomorrow for some seat in South India to have it deferred?”
Abdullah further said that if the polls are deferred, the NC will take the matter to court. “The ECI must instruct the administration to keep the roads open. I’ve been CM, and I know that machinery and manpower can keep the Mughal road open,” he stated.
Inclement weather conditions have led to frequent closure of the Mughal Road, which connects the Anantnag and Rajouri areas of J&K. Mufti also held a roadshow through the Mughal Road yesterday. In the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency, all paperwork is complete, with 21 candidates contesting the polls while voting is slated to take place on May 7th, in the third phase.
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Jammu & Kashmir administration a stumbling block to assembly election as they are ruling with no accountability: Omar Abdullah
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah on Monday said that the administration in the union territory sabotaged the decision of holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections here concurrently.
Abdullah while addressing a rally in Noorabad area of southern Kashmir started the party’s election campaign urging people to come out to vote in large numbers to reject the ‘loot, deception and injustice’ done on August 5 2019.
“ECI is on record saying that political parties wanted simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections…these officers ruling here without any accountability sabotaged the process citing security reasons,” alleged Abdullah. He referred to the officers posted here as ‘uncrowned kings’ who are ‘passing laws and giving land and contracts to outsiders at their own will.’ The last assembly elections in J&K were held in 2014, when BJP-PDP formed a coalition government, which fell in 2018, when BJP withdrew its support. Since then J&K is without any elected government. “They claim that the situation has improved in J&K and stone pelting, guns and separatism has ended. If everything is fine then why didn’t you allow conducting assembly elections with Lok Sabha elections,” Abdullah asked. The NC leader said that ECI is also on record saying that elections will be conducted before September, 2024. “From October, there will be no rule of Raj Bhawan or Delhi or the parliament or any of these officers from outside. People of J&K will elect their representatives and decide the policies of who will get the land here, who will get the contract and who will come from outside,” said Abdullah.
The NC leader urged people to vote in Lok Sabha elections terming it as a ‘semi-final’ before the assembly elections in J&K. “This is an important and first big election after August 5, 2019, when our constitution, flag, identity and honour was snatched from us. We have to convey through our vote that we are ready to fight for our rights and will beat the forces who are attempting to rob our land and snatch our jobs,” said Abdullah.
The NC is a part of INDIA bloc, however, they have repeatedly asserted that they will fight on all three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir division. The BJP is aiming to make inroads into the Valley through trans-Pir Panchal Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, which has a sizable Gujjar-Bakerwal and Pahari population. “Despite changing the map of Anantnag constituency by connecting Rajouri-Poonch with Anantnag of southern Kashmir which is a step towards implementing Dixon Plan, people won’t vote for the BJP or any of its proxies, as they know what they are doing in the rest of the country,” said Abdullah. He accused the BJP of following theBritish policy of divide and rule. “BJP wants Kashmir to fight with Jammu, Hindu with Muslims, Gujjar with Paharis to ensure that somehow they win this Anantnag seat. But people are aware enough to make the right decision through their vote,” said Abdullah.