Omar Abdullah’s sons join road show for NC candidate in Jammu

Jammu, Sept 10 (PTI) After sharing political stage with their father Omar Abdullah on several occasions in the recent past, Zahir and Zamir – the fourth generation Abdullahs – on Tuesday joined a road show of NC candidate Ajay Kumar Sadhotra here.

Sadhotra, 68, a former minister and a two-time MLA, organised the road show from Paloura to Janipur ahead of submitting his nomination papers to the returning officer for Jammu North assembly seat which along with 39 assembly constituencies is going to polls in the third and final phase on October 1.

The BJP has fielded former minister Sham Lal Sharma from Jammu North. Sharma joined the BJP in March 2019 after resigning from the Congress.

Omar Abdullah’s sons, sitting atop a decorated vehicle alongside Sadhotra wearing garlands, were seen waving to the crowds and shaking hands with them as several thousand National Conference (NC) workers and supporters chanted slogans during the road show, covering a distance of nearly one kilometre.

Congress leaders including former minister and party candidate from Marh constituency Mula Ram and Udhay Bhanu Chib accompanied the procession.

On Monday, Zahir and Zamir, who are both lawyers, attended a party function at the NC headquarters here to welcome dozens of youngsters into the party fold, marking their participation in political activities in the Jammu region.

Though Omar’s sons avoided media persons, Sadhotra used the opportunity to target the BJP, accusing the national party of pursuing divisive politics and spreading hatred in society.

“It is unfortunate that our country’s home minister is misleading the public by saying that we are planning to change the name of Shankaracharya and Hari Parbat hills (in Srinagar). Where is it written in our manifesto? We have clearly stated that we want to set up a cable car between the two hills to provide additional facilities to the pilgrims,” he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah was in the Union Territory a couple of days ago for the release of the BJP’s manifesto and campaign for the party.

The NC additional general secretary requested the BJP not to spread hatred using religion.

“We know you are out to mislead the people but the home minister has also been misled. It is a deliberate attempt to create mistrust and it is not a good thing,” he said.

“The National Conference believes in peace and communal harmony,” he said, urging the people to vote for the NC-Congress coalition candidates to oust the BJP which has brought only “miseries to the people over the last 10 years”.

He said the BJP is saying the NC-Congress alliance will bring back terrorism by assuming power in J&K.

“This is another lie as the National Conference is the party which has lost thousands of workers and leaders including former ministers and legislators to terror attacks. We upheld the tricolour despite facing bullets from the terrorists,” he said.

Sadhotra expressed confidence in the NC-Congress alliance forming the next government in J&K and said “our priority will be to provide one lakh employment to youth, curb drug menace and support people to overcome inflation”.