New Delhi: National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah on Wednesday challenged the central government, suggesting that if it was serious about its idea of 'one nation, one election,' it should consider conducting elections in Jammu and Kashmir simultaneously with the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Taking a dig at the BJP government, the former J&K CM said this government, which talks so much about simultaneous elections in the country, is unable to put its money where its mouth is, even in one state much less than the entire nation, reported news agency PTI.
"If the government is serious about 'one nation, one election', I hope that they will put their money where their mouth is and show us that it is possible by doing it first in Jammu and Kashmir," Abdullah told reporters.
He further stated, "We have Parliament elections in a few months. Let us have assembly elections at the same time and then see".
While speaking to reporters, Abdullah questioned the government's commitment to the unified election idea, the PTI report added.
He said, "If you cannot have assembly election (in Jammu and Kashmir) together with Parliament now, how do you imagine that you will ever have (nationwide) assembly elections together with Parliament elections, when states like UP, Bihar and others, which require a significant presence of security forces, will also go to the polls simultaneously".
Abdullah launched a scathing attack on the ruling party and questioned the BJP's decade-long rule. He said, "Resorting to religious appeals for electoral victories indicates a failure of their governance. If, after remaining in power for ten years, BJP will have to go back to religion to win elections, don't you see their government has failed? If after ten years of rule, this is what they wanted to show to the people, and there is nothing beyond this, I will hope BJP needs to be questioned on this," reported PTI.
He cleared his stand over Ram Mandir's attendance, saying "We have not received any invite. We are not going".
However, Abdullah expressed confidence that the I.N.D.I.A bloc will get a resounding mandate in J-K.
“When the mandate is delivered, it will be a resounding mandate for one-party rule. So no post-poll alliance will exist. We do not believe in post-poll alliance,” he said in reply to a question about the possibility of going with any other party in case of a fractured mandate in the assembly elections, reported PTI.
Regarding seat distribution, Abdullah dismissed the talk of conflicts within the alliance.
"Our efforts should be to win all six seats and they should remain with the I.N.D.I.A alliance. Several people want to contest... Let us first talk to them. Three seats are with the I.N.D.I.A alliance, there is no need to discuss them but the talks will be held on how to win the rest of the three seats currently held by BJP," PTI quoted him as saying.
About participating in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Abdullah said he and his father Farooq Abdullah have received an invitation from Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. “Where it is feasible, we will take part in it,” he stated, reported PTI.