National Conference chief and Member of Parliament Farooq Abdullah on Saturday reiterated the party’s stand on the delimitation report, saying that no amount of “gerrymandering” can change the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

He was interacting with the media persons on the side-lines of his visit to Boteng, Kulgam where he had gone to condole with the bereaved family of the party’s Vice District President Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Dar.

He was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, MP Hasnain Masoodi, South Zone President Bashir Veeri, District President Abdul Majeed Bhat Larmi, party leaders Riyaz Khan, Abdul Rahman Tantray and others.

Abdullah said that the party’s stand on the entire process of delimitation was crystal clear and the entire process was a smokescreen to draw a veil over the obscure agenda at work.

“The entire exercise has been accepted universally and practised criteria and principles with regards to electoral representation. However, no amount of gerrymandering will save the BJP, and its proxies from the wrath of the people,” he said.

Further, he said, “People have made it a point to punish BJP and its proxies for all they have done to Jammu and Kashmir. No matter how many false fronts they put up, people won’t forgive those who have robbed the region of its unique status, its prized historical individuality and dignity. The writing is on the wall.”

“Every sector of our economy is bleeding. Our youth are at crossroads, our traders are facing unprecedented situations. The plight of our tourism players, transporters and artisans is no different. Inflation, unemployment and development deficit have compounded the worries of our people immensely,” he added.

The Delimitation Commission finalised the final delimitation order for Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday which has paved the way for assembly polls in the Union Territory. The delimitation order will come into effect from the date notified by the central government.

As per the final Delimitation Order, out of the 90 assembly constituencies, 43 will be part of the Jammu region and 47 of the Kashmir region. Nine seats have been reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (STs) for the first time – six in the Jammu region and three in the Kashmir Valley.

Seven seats have been reserved for Scheduled Castes. The constitution of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state did not provide for the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Tribes in the legislative assembly.