“He had been poster boy for BJP”: Sajad Lone slams Omar abdullah

Kupwara (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 8 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference (JKPC) chairman Sajad Gani Lone on Sunday alleged that National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah had been the “poster boy” for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Responding to a statement of Omar Abdullah alleging that “jailed leaders were being fielded against him,” Lone said, “Omar Abdullah should have some shame. He is saying that all those who are contesting against him are with the BJP. He should tell the solution then–there is only one that no one should contest against him.”

“It would be better to see what he will do for the people,” he added.

Lone further 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…”

Omar Abdullah on Saturday claimed there was a “conspiracy” that people from prison were contesting against him in the upcoming assembly polls.

“They bring in people from jails to contest against me. Had this been a one-time thing, it could have been ignored. But now when assembly elections were announced and I was declared as the NC candidate from Ganderbal, again I heard someone from prison is going to contest against me. This person has nothing to do with Ganderbal. He might not even be able to locate Ganderbal on a map. I sense a conspiracy in this,” Omar said.

Polling would be held in three phases: September 18, September 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8.

The National Conference and the Congress have forged a pre-poll alliance days ahead of the polls.

There are a total number of 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 7 seats are reserved for SCs and 9 seats are reserved for STs.

According to the Election Commission of India, Jammu and Kashmir has 88.06 lakh eligible electors. These are the first assembly elections to be held in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

In the previous Assembly elections, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won 28 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 25, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) won 15, and the Congress won 12.