Sajad Lone’s withdrawal would benefit BJP only; Don’t know anything on Aga Ruhulla’s Budgam campaign remark
PP NEWS LINE DESK BARAMULLA, Oct 14 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the Rajya Sabha election is a direct contest between the National Conference and the Bharatiya Janata Party, urging opposition parties to get united against the saffron party.
Speaking with reporters in Baramulla, the Chief Minister said People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone’s decision to stay away from polls would only benefit the BJP. “You and I know who will benefit from this. I appeal to others not to stay away. This is a direct contest between NC and BJP. Not voting for NC means helping the BJP,”3 he said.
CM Omar urged all opposition parties, including the PDP and Congress, to stay united and vote strategically to ensure BJP’s defeat. “If the aim is to stop the BJP, every party must contribute. Staying out of the field only weakens the fight”, he said.
On reports of friction within the INDIA bloc, the Chief Minister clarified that the alliance with Congress remains intact. “We did not want to field our candidate on the fourth seat. We wanted Congress to contest because that would have given us the best chance to win. But Congress chose not to fight, so we had to nominate our candidate there as well,” he said.
The Chief Minister added that the National Conference remains committed to strengthening the alliance spirit, ensuring BJP’s loss on all three seats. “Our goal is clear. The BJP must be defeated and we will fight for that on every seat”, he said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that he has no knowledge about senior party leader and MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi’s decision to stay away from the National Conference’s campaign for bypolls in Budgam.
CM Omar made the remarks on the sidelines of the FICCI National Executive Committee meeting in Srinagar
When asked about Ruhullah’s recent remark that he would not participate in the party’s campaign for bypoll in Budgam, CM Omar said that he don’t know anything about him.
He also said that Jammu and Kashmir’s financial condition has been under stress due to a series of crises this year but expressed hope that the government would continue to serve the people effectively.
“It’s true that this year has been difficult for us – first the Pahalgam attack, then war-like situation between India and Pakistan, and then heavy rainfall in July, August, and September caused major damage. But even in the darkness, there is ray of hop, and we are moving forward with that hope.”
Regarding tourism revival, CM Omar said the government has initiated promotional efforts both in India and abroad and that a team has been sent to Singapore to attract tourists from Southeast Asia, while similar campaigns are underway across India’s metro cities like Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi.
