NC to announce candidates after notification for first phase of J&K polls

Srinagar, Aug 18 (PTI) The National Conference will announce its candidates for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the notification for the first phase of the three-phased polls, the party’s vice president Omar Abdullah said here on Sunday.

The notification for the first phase is scheduled to be issued on August 20. Polling is scheduled to take place on September 18.

“It has not been even two days since the announcement (of polls). Give us some time, we are making preparations. The notification for the first phase will be issued on August 20. We will announce our candidates after that and hope for our success,” Abdullah told reporters here.

He was asked as to when the party would announce its candidates for the polls.

To a question about BJP’s charge that the NC was showing overconfidence after Abdullah told a private TV news channel that the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, in its first order of business after elections, will pass a resolution against the Centre’s decision to strip the region of its statehood and special status, the NC leader said it does not behove the BJP to talk about overconfidence.

“The BJP has set a new example of overconfidence. Who gave the slogan of 400-par in the Lok Sabha polls? Not me. It was the BJP’s slogan. Then they talked about 370 (seats), but where did they stop? At 240. It is better for the BJP not to talk about overconfidence.

“I have only said that we are hopeful that if the people support us and we get an opportunity to govern. We are not counting the number of seats which BJP always has, I remember in 2014 assembly elections, they said 45 seats. It does not behove the BJP to talk about this. Let them talk about themselves, and let us talk about ourselves,” he added.

Meanwhile, a former PDP legislator from Karnah, Javid Mirchal, joined the NC and was welcomed into the party fold by Abdullah and other senior leaders.

“It is the good fortune of the NC that such a leader, who is connected with the people and has a close relation with the people, today joined the NC. It is also a sign of which way the wind is blowing,” the NC vice president said.

He said Mirchal did not set any preconditions for his joining.

“There was no bargaining. When he met me, he only talked about the people of Karnah. He only said that the area should be developed and there should be real representation and people’s issues should be resolved. We have assured him that if God wills and the NC is able to form the government, then surely we will address the issues of Karnah,” Abdullah said.