“Campaign was run against me”: JKPC President Sajjad Lone on allegations over BJP-tag

Kupwara (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 12 (ANI): People’s Conference President, Sajjad Lone, on Thursday counterattacked his critics who accused him of being a ‘poster boy’ of the BJP and appealed to voters to focus on development and work in the upcoming assembly elections.

“I would like to tell the people that you rejected me in the last election. A campaign was run against me that this person is from the BJP; today the world knows who is from the BJP; those who used to point fingers at me, today they should answer the people. I want to tell the people to vote for your work and your development,” he said.

Earlier, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said that the BJP is keeping the door open for a post-poll alliance with parties such as the People’s Conference and Apni Party.

Addressing the party workers in the Shalbugh area of Ganderbal, Omar said, “During a press conference in Jammu yesterday, Home Minister Amit Shah was saying the names of parties with which they will not be forming a government. He didn’t mention several parties, including Engineer Rashid’s party, Apni Party, Peoples Conference….This means that tomorrow, if the BJP wants, it can form the government with them.”

He further claimed that the BJP, if needed, will form a government with independent candidates. Omar Abdullah is contesting on two seats and independent candidates have also filed nominations against him.

On the same day, Sajad Gani Lone alleged that National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah had been the “poster boy” for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Lone said, “He had been the poster boy for the BJP and was the MoS in the External Affairs Ministry, and he then defended all the human rights violations and killings of the people. Had he forgotten that time when, after the Babri Masjid incident, no big Muslim leader was ready to sit with the BJP–but the first two big leaders who went along with them were Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah…”

Notably, the 2024 Assembly elections will mark the first local elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. Elections will be held in three phases in September and October – September 18, September 25, and October 1 and the counting of votes will take place on October 8.