“No doubt about it, we are fully prepared”: Omar Abdullah on Assembly elections in J&K

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 4 (ANI): Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that he has no doubt that the Assembly elections will be conducted in the Union Territory very soon and his party (National Conference) is fully prepared for it.

“This is the expectation of the people that assembly elections will be conducted within the timeframe set by the Supreme Court. National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah has called a two-day working committee meeting regarding this. We have been instructed to find ways to strengthen the party and prepare for the upcoming elections. The current situation in the Union Territory was also discussed. Jammu and Kashmir is being troubled in every possible way,” Abdullah said.

Former J-K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference held a two-day working committee meeting, starting on Wednesday in view of the Assembly elections.

“A few days ago, the Prime Minister visited here and assured the people that assembly elections would be held soon. The Election Commission has stated that the elections will be conducted soon. I don’t think there is any doubt about it, and we are fully prepared,” he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his visit to UT said that the “time is not far” when the people of Jammu and Kashmir will elect a new government in assembly polls and indicated that statehood will be resorted soon to the Union Territory.

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir elect their representatives at the local level, through them you find ways to solve problems, what can be better than this? Therefore, now the preparations for the Assembly elections have also started. The time is not far when you will elect the new government of Jammu and Kashmir with your votes. That day will also come soon, when Jammu and Kashmir will once again make its future better as a state,” he said.

Further, speaking on the 18th Lok Sabha first session, Omar said that it is wrong to cut the speech of the opposition as everyone has the right to express their views.

“Regarding parliamentary proceedings, I have Aga Ruhullah (Srinagar MP) standing with me, who has been a victim of the Speaker’s whims. A part of his statement was cut off because the Speaker was not happy with his remarks. Similarly, cutting parts of the Leader of the Opposition’s speech is also wrong. Everyone has the right to express their views,” he said.

“The BJP needs to change its attitude. They talk as if they have 400 members in parliament, but in reality, they only have 240,” Omar Abdullah added further.

Meanwhile, Ravinder Rana, BJP Jammu and Kashmir Chief said on Thursday that the party’s National President, JP Nadda will visit the Union Territory on July 6 in view of the Assembly elections.

Rana also emphasized that the next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir will be from the BJP.

“BJP National President JP Nadda is visiting Jammu and Kashmir on July 6. BJP’s nationwide victory in the Lok Sabha elections was significant but victory in Jammu and Kashmir added momentum to the party. BJP has consecutively won both seats in the Jammu division for the third time,” Rana said.

The BJP-led government scrapped Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 and bifurcated the state into two union territories. There have been demands from political parties for early assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and restoration of statehood.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the Election Commission of India and the Centre to conduct polls by September.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar earlier said that the J-K Assembly polls will be held after the Lok Sabha elections.

In an interview with ANI, CEC Kumar said, “We are yet to hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. I mentioned in the press conference earlier that the way for conducting legal elections has opened since December 23. This is March, and there is snowfall in the region, hence the question of holding elections does not arise at this point.”

“We (ECI) went to Jammu and Kashmir and were asked by all the political parties there to hold the state assembly elections with the Lok Sabha polls. After that, we held administrative meetings wherein it was discussed that a lot of security forces would be required to conduct state assembly election with Lok Sabha election in J-K,” he said.