“Tricks will not work…”: BJP’s Shazia Ilmi slams Omar Abdullah

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 27 (ANI): BJP National Spokesperson Shazia Ilmi on Thursday lashed out at National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah for peddling lies to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and said that today’s votes are being cast with complete transparency in J-K, unlike the previous elections marked by alleged rigging.

“What does Omar Abdullah think, the time is gone when he used to say something in Srinagar, something in Jammu, this is the age of social media, your lies will not work… In Jammu and Kashmir, earlier there was rigging of elections…today votes are being cast with complete transparency,” Shazia Ilmi told ANI in Srinagar.

She said that the first assembly elections of J-K held in the Union Territory after a gap of nearly ten years since the abrogation of Article 370 is a celebration of democracy.

Shazia Ilmi added, “It is a celebration of democracy and people from all over the world are watching it, so Omar Abdullah and his tricks will not work…,” referring to visit of a delegation of diplomats who visited Jammu and Kashmir to witness the second phase of polling on September 25.

Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that he expected higher turnout in the assembly election.

“I was hoping for a little more turnout. Because there was no call for the boycott. There were no attacks. There was no attempt to suppress and threaten the voters,” Omar Abdullah said.

“But I think the central government is also partially responsible for this situation. They have tried to present high turnout as a sign of normalcy at different places,” he said.

The first phase of poling was held on September 18 while the second phase was held on September 25. The second phase of J-K assembly polls records turnout of 57.03 pc till 11:45 pm, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said in a press release.

The ECI said that Budgam recorded 62.98 percent voter turnout till 11.45 pm, Ganderbal recorded 62.51 percent voter turnout, Poonch recorded 73.80 percent voter turnout, Rajouri recorded 70.95 percent voter turnout, Reasi recorded 74.70 percent voter turnout and Srinagar recorded 29.81 voter turnout.

Polling was conducted across six districts of Budgam, Ganderbal, Poonch and Jammu regions of Rajouri, Reasi and Srinagar, with 25.78 lakh electors eligible to cast votes to decide fate of 239 candidates in the second phase. The first phase of assembly polls was held on September 18.

The final phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled for October 1. The counting of votes for J-K and Haryana assemblies will take place on October 8.