Srinagar, Apr 18: National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah Thursday hoped that the Center and Election Commission (EC) will hold Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir soon after the completion of the Lok Sabha polls.
“I only hope that having seen the environment in which we were able to conduct both the campaign for north Kashmir and also central Kashmir and hopefully south Kashmir as well that the government of India gets off its high horse and gives the people of Jammu and Kashmir the opportunity to choose an elected government sooner rather than later because they are now running out of excuses to delay assembly elections,” Omar told reporters after casting his vote at Sonwar here.
He said Assembly elections in the state were delayed because of Lok Sabha polls. “Now the parliament elections are due to conclude, we can only hope that the centre together with the EC gives the people of Jammu and Kashmir an elected government which is their right,” the former chief minister said.
He termed the ongoing LS polls significantly different from the by-elections of 2017 that NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah won.
“In that election we barely managed one or two public meetings outdoors. All our election activity was confined to closed rooms and walled off areas. In this election thankfully we found the electorate for more receptive,” Omar said.
