N C open to Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir if fresh election declared, says Omar Abdullah
Press Trust of India
Srinagar: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has hinted his party would participate in Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir if fresh elections to the state legislature were announced in near future.
“You got the control of a handful of towns and cities because the National Conference and the PDP stayed away (and the Congress did such a poor job of putting up a fight). Do you really think we will give you a walkover in the Assembly polls?” Abdullah wrote on his Twitter handle on Wednesday.
He was responding to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Ram Madhav, who had asked the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) if they would participate in Assembly polls if held in near future.
“On one hand, they (the National Conference and the PDP) say they will not take part in elections to safeguard Article 35A, on the other, they demand dissolution of Assembly and fresh elections. Tomorrow if assembly elections are held, will you will fight or go by your boycott?” Madhav said at a function in Kathua on Tuesday night.
The two regional parties had asked the Centre to mount a strong defence of the constitutional provision before the apex court. They had remained non-committal to participation in future elections in the state.
As per the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, the state will go under direct president’s rule on 19 December if the present situation continues.
