Srinagar: Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Sunil Kumar Sharma on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, claiming that Omar Abdullah would not resign from office under any circumstances as long as his official status and protocol remain intact.
Speaking ahead of the Chief Minister’s scheduled meeting with NC legislators, Sharma alleged that the Abdullah family would continue to hold on to power regardless of any future political arrangement for Jammu and Kashmir.
“Remember my prediction: no one, even from the next generations of the Abdullah family, would resign. If Jammu and Kashmir were reduced to a Hill Council on the pattern of Ladakh and Omar Abdullah became an executive councillor, he still would not resign from that position,” Sharma said.
The BJP leader further claimed that Omar Abdullah would accept any political status for Jammu and Kashmir, “even below that of a Union Territory,” provided there was no impact on his protocol and official privileges.
“There is no question of resignation from a family that is so attached to power,” Sharma alleged.
In a strongly worded criticism, Sharma accused the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party of pursuing politics aimed at keeping leadership within a few political families.
He alleged that both parties had historically run what he described as a movement to keep “princes and princesses” of political dynasties in power.
The Leader of Opposition also claimed that the National Conference leadership was willing to compromise on political demands concerning Jammu and Kashmir’s status as long as official privileges remained unaffected.
Referring to the upcoming meeting of NC legislators, Sharma alleged that the Chief Minister was attempting to ensure that internal differences within the party do not become public.
The remarks come amid ongoing political discussions regarding governance, statehood and the future political structure of Jammu and Kashmir.