NC Vice President warns voters about a “well-considered conspiracy” by independents to divide votes, accuses BJP of striking backdoor deals to secure majority in the J&K Assembly.

||Black and White Digital News ||

||September 09 ,2024 ||

Kashmir: In a politically charged address at Ganderbal, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah raised serious concerns about the alignment between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and independent candidates contesting the upcoming J&K Assembly polls. According to Abdullah, the BJP’s strategy involves allying with independent candidates to secure a majority if they fall short in the assembly. He warned voters to be cautious about who they support, claiming that independents have “struck a deal with Delhi” and would fail to address local concerns.

Key Points Raised by Omar Abdullah:

BJP and Independent Candidates Aligned:

Abdullah pointed out that BJP’s election strategy, as outlined by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, indicates a willingness to form alliances with independent candidates. Omar claimed that Shah’s exclusion of some parties from his list of non-cooperation implies a similar arrangement with other independents.

Targeting Independent Candidates:

He specifically referenced jailed MP Engineer Rashid and activist Sarjan Barkati, who have contested against him in the past. Abdullah accused the BJP of strategically fielding these candidates to weaken his position and divide votes in key constituencies like Ganderbal and Budgam.

A “Well-Considered Conspiracy”:

Abdullah sees these developments as part of a broader conspiracy to undermine his party’s influence. He criticized the independents for being used as political tools to sway the electorate and dilute the vote share of genuine opposition parties.

Voting Caution:

Omar urged voters to be aware of these tactics, suggesting that electing independents would be equivalent to supporting the BJP’s agenda in the region, which he argued would fail to address the real issues facing the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Both Ganderbal and Budgam constituencies are set to go to polls in the second phase of elections on September 25.