In the run-up to the Assembly elections, the NC defector claimed that NC supremo Farooq Abdullah always wanted to go “hand-in-hand” with the central government….reports Asian Lite News
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devender Singh Rana affirmed on Tuesday that the BJP and National Conference will not come together as he reiterated his earlier claim that NC leader Omar Abdullah attempted to ally with BJP in 2014.
In the run-up to the Assembly elections, the NC defector claimed that NC supremo Farooq Abdullah always wanted to go “hand-in-hand” with the central government.
“He (Omar Abdullah) was interim CM and didn’t want to leave power. He wanted NC to be in power in one way or the other. Farooq Abdullah was abroad and he asked him to go and talk to the BJP and stay in Government somehow. BJP was in the centre so Farooq Abdullah always wanted to go hand in hand with the central government. Now the situation will not arise for BJP and NC to come together,” Rana said while addressing a press conference in Jammu on Tuesday.
Rana earlier claimed that NC leader and former J-K CM Omar Abdullah met with BJP leaders Amit Shah and Ram Madhav in 2014 to request the formation of a government with NC.
“Omar Abdullah is trying to mislead the people of Kashmir by telling them that every political party except the National Conference is with the BJP. In 2014, when I was a part of the National Conference, we knocked on every door asking people to form government with us as we had only 15 people. Omar Abdullah says that at the time they met Amit Shah and Ram Madhav to urge them to form the government with NC. As at the time BJP had declined NC’s request, they are saying all this now,” Devender Rana said on Monday.
Congress and the National Conference are fighting the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir together. According to a seat-sharing agreement, the National Conference (NC) will contest 51 of the 90 seats, and the Congress will contest 32.
The two parties will also contest five seats against each other. One seat each has been allocated for CPI(M) and Panthers Party. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has also extended its support to the Congress and National Conference alliance in the J-K polls.
Jammu and Kashmir has 90 assembly constituencies, with 7 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled to vote in three phases – September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will be on October 8. It is the first assembly poll since the abrogation of Article 370. (ANI)
45 candidates in fray in Pulwama
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A total of 45 candidates are in the fray for assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district after the completion of the nomination process here.
Pulwama district consists of four assembly consitutuencies. “The nomination process has been completed and all our candidates have been finalized in all the assembly constituencies,” Pulwama District Election Officer Basharat Qayoom said.
“There are 45 candidates in the 4 assembly constituencies and the maximum number of them are in Pampore, 14 candidates. We have 481 polling stations in the entire district, total voters in the district are more than 4,07,000,” he added.
Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled to vote in three phases – September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will be on October 8. It is the first assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370.
Cong leader threatens to contest against Omar
In an unexpected turn of events, the Congress district president of J&K’s Ganderbal district on Tuesday threatened to fight as an Independent candidate against National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah if denied candidature by the party.
Omar Abdullah is fighting the Assembly elections from the Ganderbal Assembly constituency while Gujjar leader, Mian Meher Ali is fighting the election as the NC candidate from the Kangan (ST) constituency of the district.
Both Kangan and Ganderbal are two Assembly constituencies in North Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
As per the pre-poll alliance, the NC will fight from 52 seats and Congress from 31 seats in the J&K Assembly elections.
On Tuesday, Congress district president (Ganderbal), Sahil Farooq threatened to stand as an independent candidate against Omar Abdullah if the Congress doesn’t give him the party mandate.
“If we can fight a friendly contest on five seats, why not in Ganderbal as well? I am willing to contest the upcoming Assembly elections under the party’s banner if a friendly contest between the Congress and NC is permitted in the Ganderbal constituency similar to the arrangements in other constituencies,” Sahil Farooq said.
He, however, added that if his party does not allow such a contest, he will consider running as an independent candidate, though he will remain a loyal Congress worker.
He has expressed dismay over what he calls ‘continuous neglect’ of local leaders in Ganderbal.
“I am loyal to the party, but the people of Ganderbal are facing hardships,” he said.
Farooq alleged that Ganderbal has always been kept out of the decision-making process with outsiders often being imposed on the constituency.
“Why is Ganderbal always forced to accept outsiders? Our local leaders have never been given a fair chance. If the Congress leadership does not make a decision by this evening, I will proceed to contest independently, but my commitment to the Congress party will remain unchanged. I am doing this for my downtrodden people.”
He wanted the Congress leadership to give him a chance to represent Ganderbal in a friendly contest.
If he finally chooses to stand as an independent candidate against Omar Abdullah, that decision could affect the dynamics of the electoral alliance between the NC and the Congress.
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