SRINAGAR: National Conference Vice President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said, “Election Commission of India should be ashamed. The Government did not take a decision, the ECI did not take action. Finally, the Supreme Court had to intervene and issue directives on the conduct of elections in J&K before September 2024.”
Omar said, “India is being called the mother of democracy but it is unfortunate that the same is being murdered in J&K.” Omar Abdullah expressed concern about the delay of various elections in Jammu and Kashmir. He said “Holding Parliamentary elections in J&K seems to be a compulsion for the current Government.
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He added, “The National Conference is yet to finalise candidates for the Parliamentary elections. The party has not convened a meeting yet to discuss or finalize candidates, and we will evaluate potential candidates when the process begins.” Expressing his opinion on Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s candidacy, Omar said, “For me, Dr. Farooq should run, but the final decision depends upon what the party leaders jointly decide.”
On seat sharing in J&K under the INDIA bloc for the Parliamentary elections, Omar said, “No discussions have taken place yet, but when they do, the process won’t take much time based on the number of seats in J&K as well as in Ladakh.”
Regarding the recent agreement for J&K to supply electricity to Rajasthan, Omar opposed the move and said “It is a loot, the project is ours, water is ours, and the power is ours. It has taken place when people in Jammu and Kashmir are not getting ample electricity. Let there be elections, even if we have to go to the Supreme Court, we will not let the power supply from Kashmir go to Rajasthan.”
On the derogatory remarks by Maldivian Ministers about PM Narendra Modi, Omar, recalling former prime minister A B Vajpayee’s remarks that India can change its friends but not its neighbours, said, “It is unacceptable, there was no need to insult the Prime Minister of India or the tourists from this country.”
He further reiterated, “It is alright for the Maldives to have a good relationship with China. It is good that the Maldivian government suspended those ministers and apologised to the PM and the people.”
