Coming down heavily on the AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is seeking support of the Opposition against the Centre’s ordinance on the functioning of the Delhi government, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Saturday questioned where was he (Kejriwal) in 2019 when the Article 370 providing a special status to J&K was abrogated by the Modi government.
Omar Abdullah hinted at his party staying away from the grand alliance against the BJP in the next year’s general elections, saying most of such parties remained silent when the Article 370 was abrogated and J&K downgraded to the level of a union territory.
“When they need us, they knock at our doors. Now that Arvind Kejriwal is in trouble, he needs our support. But where were they in 2019? Political leaders who are today shouting ‘save democracy’, where were they when democracy was murdered in J&K? They did not even make any noise. In fact they supported it,” Omar said.
However, he said there are only four parties – DMK, Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and two Left parties that always stood with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We will fight against the BJP on all five Lok Sabha seats in J&K, let them do whatever they want. Talk on a pre-poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir would be premature before the sounding of bugle for the elections in the UT”, Omar said.
“Compulsions aside, I do not see any benefit from such an alliance for the party or Jammu and Kashmir”, he said.
Omar was replying to questions of reporters in the border town of Rajouri where he had come to Nowshera to condole the death of Sarpanch Satpal.
“What we have outside Jammu and Kashmir? We have a total of five Lok Sabha seats and what storm can these seats create? We have to fight against the BJP on these seats and what is going outside J&K is a secondary question,” Omar told reporters.
On the possibility of a pre-poll alliance ahead of assembly elections in J&K, he said the question is premature as elections are nowhere visible.
“Let the election bugle be sounded, we will sit together to take a call on this. The opinion or decision of one person is not acceptable, all the leaders of NC will discuss the issue, weigh its pros and cons and reach a consensus,” he said.
On the BJP’s claim of unprecedented development in Jammu and Kashmir during the past nine years of the Modi government, he said “everything will be known” once the elections take place.