Srinagar: People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone on Saturday demanded that National Conference leader Omar Abdullah prove his allegation that Lone has publicly said “I am BJP”.
Lone also demanded an apology from Abdullah if he failed to prove the allegation.
Omar Abdullah is pitted against Lone from the Baramulla LS seat in north Kashmir.
Sharing a clip of Abdullah, Lone said in a post on X, “Dear Omar Abdullah, in this video you say that Sajad Lone openly said ‘I am BJP, I am BJP’ in Kupwara. Can you send me the clip, the venue, date and time when I said it?”
At an election rally in Budgam on Friday, the National Conference vice-president said, “Lone has openly said in a speech in Kupwara that ‘I am BJP, I am BJP, what is wrong in that’. We have been saying this since the first day.”
Lone also said he will apologise if Abdullah proves his claim.
“If you (Abdullah) can’t — will you apologise. If you do neither, then you are the eternal tarbaaz (liar),” the People’s Conference chief said.
Later, at a press conference, Lone said since there has been no response from the National Conference leader, Abdullah “formally gets the crown of a liar”.
“This is the limit, we are exploring the ECI (Election Commission of India) rules and, if there is any space, we will write to them that one of India’s heavily protected men — about 200 to 300 men protect the father (Farooq Abdullah) and son — they are making people like us and our workers insecure. What nonsense is this?” he said.
“If there is some space, then we will write to them that let him at least apologise for this lie. You (media) should ask him where I said this. Or whether he has dreamt it or is delusional or has been rattled?” Lone said.
