Jammu and Kashmir: Omar Abdullah hints at staying away from grand alliance against BJP in 2024 LS polls

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah Saturday hinted at his party staying away from the grand alliance against the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next years general elections saying most of such parties remained silent when the erstwhile states special constitutional status was abrogated and it was downgraded into two federally administered union territoriesHe also said the talk on a prepoll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir would be premature before the sounding of bugle for the assembly elections in the Union TerritoryWhat we have to contribute outside Jammu and Kashmir We have a total of five Lok Sabha seats and what storm these seats can create We have to fight against the BJP on these seats and what is going outside JampK is a secondary question Abdullah told reporters on reaching the border district of RajouriThe former chief minister was responding to a question on the possibility of the National Conference joining hands with other parties against the BJP in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha electionsCompulsions aside I do not see any benefit from such an alliance for the party and Jammu and Kashmir I am repeatedly saying that when they need us they knock on our doors When Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is in trouble he needs our support but where were these leaders in 2019 when we faced a big deceit he said referring to the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of JampK into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh by the central governmentAlso readNot good for democracy NCP leaders express concern over incidents of communal unrestAbdullah asked who among them stood with the people of Jammu and KashmirWhere were those who are raising hue and cry today for safeguarding the Constitution and democracy when we faced the murder of democracy They did not speak against it and the fact of the matter is that they supported the move in Parliament the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister saidHowever he said there are only four parties iquest DMK Mamata Banerjeeled TMC and two Left parties which always stood with the people of Jammu and KashmirLeave these parties aside show me someone among other parties who wholeheartedly supported us We will fight against the BJP on our five seats let them do whatever they want Abdullah saidOn the possibility of a prepoll alliance ahead of assembly elections in JampK he said the question is premature as elections are nowhere visibleLet the election bugle be sounded we will sit together to take a call on this The opinion or decision of one person is not acceptable all the leaders of the party NC will discuss the issue weigh its pros and cons and reach a consensus he saidThe National Conference leader said the bugle has yet to reach the person who is going to sound it and so such type of questions serve nothingAbdullah said he is tired of answering questions about the delay in holding of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir It is evident that the BJP is not ready and had it been ready elections would have taken place he claimedThe Election Commissioner had himself said that after getting information from the home ministry on the security situation they can announce the poll dates Maybe they have not got the information so far which is not understandable he said adding that the chief election commissioner admitted that there is a vacuum in Jammu and Kashmir Why is it not being filled upAbdullah who used the Mughal Road to reach Rajouri to express condolences to the family of a party colleague who breathed his last at Nowshera sometime back said the efforts of the administration should be to minimize the suffering of the public and control growing militancy in the regionUnfortunately there is a gap between the administration and the people under the governor rule An elected government is always better than a nominated government he said People suffer because the administration is least bothered whether their issues are addressed or not the NC leader allegedTo a question on commuters facing inconvenience due to long queues at security check points on the Mughal Road he said the recent terror incidents in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch indicate growing militancy in the regionIf the commuters are facing difficulty it is proof that the administration has failed and the security situation has worsened instead of improving The people are faced with problems which were not there before he saidOn the BJPs claim of unprecedented development in Jammu and Kashmir during the past nine years of the Narendra Modi government he said everything will be known once the elections take place PTI CORTAS TASCK