Ganderbal: Not formally disclosing his intent, National Conference Vice President and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, today while addressing a party meeting at Ganderbal said that this was his first campaign meeting after the announcement of the assembly elections.
“It should have been in the constituencies going to polls in the first phase in south Kashmir. This may be a sign,” he said.
“I have not come to snatch a mandate from someone nor give a mandate, the decision lies with the party and the party president. But I will say this that we will not take a decision without consulting the party workers,” he added, regretting the decision of giving mandate to former MLA Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar in 2014.
Last year, the NC expelled Jabbar for six years for indulging in anti-party activities.
Abdullah said he has always tried to serve the people of Ganderbal in various capacities.
“You people gave me a lot of respect and love. I cannot forget that you sent me to Parliament thrice. You let me serve you as an MLA for six years. Had I listened to you in 2014, I would have been your MLA till 2018, even if in opposition. Now only God knows what will happen in future. But we have to work hard,” he said.
Kashmir watchers opine that Omar’s assertions are an indication that he will contest and contest from Ganderbal.
However, that remains to be seen.
Meanwhile Omar Abdullah on Sunday claimed the PDP has copied his party’s manifesto and asked the Mehbooba Mufti-led party to not field candidates against NC-Congress nominees for the betterment of Jammu and Kashmir as their agenda is the same.
Abdullah’s remarks came a day after Mufti said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would extend complete support to the Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance and leave all seats in the elections for the coalition if it accepts her party’s agenda.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister was addressing NC workers in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, where activist Sayim Mustafa joined the party.
Abdullah said the NC has prepared an extensive manifesto for the assembly polls which has been copied by other parties.
“We have not left out anything in the manifesto. Today, everyone has copied our manifesto. They should have kept some differences,” he said, referring to the PDP’s manifesto which was released by Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday.
Abdullah said his party promised to provide 200 free units of electricity if it comes to power and “they (PDP) also said they will provide 200 units”.
“We said we will provide one lakh government jobs in the first year, they also put that in their manifesto. We talked about reopening (cross-LoC) routes, it is in their manifesto as well. We talked about keeping the doors of dialogue open and they also said so. Almost everything that my colleagues put in our manifesto, they also put it,” he said.
On the PDP’s offer, Abdullah said there was not much difference between the agenda of the NC and the PDP.
“They (PDP) said if the NC-Congress alliance accepts their agenda, they will not put up candidates. You have put all our agenda in your manifesto. You have already accepted our agenda and now there is not much of a difference between your agenda and our agenda. Then do not field candidates and come, we will build a better tomorrow for Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Ahead of his speech, NC leaders asked Abdullah to reconsider his decision to not contest the assembly elections. Party workers chanted slogans asking him to contest elections from Ganderbal, the family bastion of the Abdullahs.
Abdullah, however, said he does not know what the future holds.
