Lok Sabha Elections: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and JKNC leader Omar Abdullah took a swipe at PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday and said that it was "unfortunate" that his party was contesting elections in the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency against a friend who turned "greedy" for a Lok Sabha seat. Mehbooba Mufti is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from the seat in south Kashmir. The NC has fielded its senior Gujjar leader, Mian Altaf, from the seat.
Abdullah was speaking to reporters after addressing an election meeting in support of the party candidate from Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi. He said that his party is not in contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party or its 'B team'.
"In Anantnag, we are not in contest against the BJP. Unfortunately, our fight is with one of our friends, who was with us, but left in lure of a seat. As far as South Kashmir is concerned, National Conference' fight is not against the BJP or BJP's 'B' team," the former Jammu and Kashmir CM said.
Continuing his attack on the saffron party, Abdullah asserted that he is aware of who the BJP is supporting in the valley, but he said that they stand no chance of winning.
The NC and PDP, who are part of the opposition's I.N.D.I.A bloc, were also a part of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), which was formed after of the abrogation of Article 370. The alliance broke after the NC announced to field candidates from all the three constituencies in the Kashmir valley, without leaving any seat for the PDP. The PDP also later announced to field its candidates on all the three seats.
The NC vice president said while the BJP was not directly contesting the parliamentary polls in the valley, it was supporting parties like the Apni Party and People's Conference (PC).
"The BJP is in the field contesting elections, but the only difference is they do not have their party symbol, they are contesting on 'cricket bat' (Apni Party's symbol) and 'apple' (PC's symbol)... We are well aware who the BJP supports here, but they stand no chance of winning," the NC leader said.
The former J-K chief minister exuded confidence in his party and said that the NC would win all three seats. He stated that, going by the response of the people, "I hope that, God willing, the NC will win all three seats," as quoted by PTI. On the query about the saffron party's claims of the NDA crossing the 400-mark, Abdullah said everything would be clear after the results. The Ladakh seat is slipping from their hands, he claimed. "After the polling yesterday, it seems they will not be able to save the Udhampur seat. Let us see what will happen on the Jammu seat as well," he said.