Srinagar- Expressing gratitude to the people for the massive victory of National Conference in the Assembly elections held after a decade, the party vice president Omar Abdullah Tuesday said J&K cannot afford to have an antagonist relation with the Centre as both have to work closely to resolve peoples’ issues. He also said that the Government of India (GoI) must respect the mandate given by the people of J&K.
Omar said many attempts were made to destroy the National Conference over the last five years by creating new outfits which have been decimated in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly election 2024.
Omar won Ganderbal and Budgam seats, defeating his nearest rivals from the PDP by more than 10,000 votes and 18,000 votes, respectively.
“There were attempts to destroy the National Congress over the last five years. So many parties were created here, whose only aim was to destroy the NC. But, God’s grace has been on us and those who tried to destroy us, have been decimated in the process,” Omar Abdullah said, after receiving his winning certificate from the returning officer for the Budgam seat.
“I am thankful to the voters in Budgam for voting for me, making me successful and giving me an opportunity to serve the people of Jammu and Kashmir once again,” the NC vice-president said.
Omar Abdullah, who is set to be the new chief minister of the Union territory, said the verdict has increased the party’s responsibilities.
Omar said whosoever becomes Chief Minister of J&K will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. “We cannot have an antagonistic relation with the Centre. I hope the Centre respects the mandate given to us,” Omar said. “I hardly recall any speech of Honourable PM Modi where he stated that statehood to J&K would be restored only when BJP comes to power. I am using the word Honourable because I believe so. He (PM) has said that the Statehood will be restored after the polls.”
Farooq Declares Omar Will be CM
National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah said people have given their mandate in the assembly elections and that Omar Abdullah will become the next chief minister.
“People have given their mandate, they have proven that they don’t accept the decision that was taken on August 5…Omar Abdullah will be the chief minister,” the senior Abdullah told reporters
Speaking to reporters here, Farooq said, “We want to tackle issues of unemployment, inflation and others. I am grateful to everybody for casting their votes. Omar Abdullah will be the chief minister.”
‘Will Claim Govt After Electing Coalition Leader’
Earlier Omar Abdullah said the INDIA bloc will stake claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir only after the alliance partners meet to elect the leader of the coalition in the assembly.
“Let the NC legislative party meet, I am not staking a claim to the chief ministership of J&K. It is for the alliance and the elected members to decide who they feel should lead the state over the next five years, and that is as far as I am willing to go,” Abdullah told reporters outside his residence here.
His remarks came after his father and NC president Farooq Abdullah announced Omar would be the chief minister.
The junior Abdullah said that as grateful as he was for the vote of confidence reposed in him by the NC president, “this is a decision for the legislative party of the NC” and a decision to be taken by the allies together.
Let the party celebrate its win and colleagues heave a sigh of relief before a meeting of the NC’s legislative party takes place, he added.
“In a couple of days, we will call our legislative party meet where the NC legislative party leader will be elected. Then, we will sit with the alliance to decide who will head it. Then, when we have all the letters of support, we will stake our claim to the LG for government formation,” Omar Abdullah added.
The NC leader said the mandate proves that the people have voted against the BJP’s politics in Jammu and Kashmir.
“There was no division of votes in Kashmir and the higher reaches of Jammu. I think the people used their vote thoughtfully. It is now the responsibility of the alliance to provide a clean government which comes up to the expectations of the people,” he added.
Earlier, in Budgam, Abdullah said many attempts were made to destroy his party over the last five years by creating new outfits which have been decimated in this election.
“There were attempts to destroy the NC over the last five years. So many parties were created here, whose only aim was to destroy the NC. But, God’s grace has been on us and those who tried to destroy us, have been decimated in the process,” Abdullah told reporters after receiving his winning certificate from the returning officer for the Budgam seat.
“I am thankful to the voters in Budgam for voting for me, making me successful and giving me an opportunity to serve the people of J-K once again,” he said.
Abdullah said the verdict has increased the party’s responsibilities.
“It is our duty now to come up to the expectations of the people through our work and that is what our endeavour would be for the next five years,” he added.
He also expressed gratitude to PDP president Mehbooba Mufti after she congratulated the NC for the spectacular win.
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