National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s deployment of star campaigners, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Yogi Aditiyanath, and Union Home Minister in Jammu, suggests that their candidate for Udhampur is on a slippery pitch.
He said: “The atmosphere (of support for the Congress) is quite positive. I witnessed the response throughout the Chenab Valley and at Congress events in Kathua and Udhampur.”
“I believe it will be difficult for the BJP to retain this seat,” Abdullah added during a press briefing.
He said that the BJP has dispatched its star campaigners to campaign for the seat from which Union Minister Jitendra Singh is seeking re-election.
When asked why the Congress party officials were not supporting NC candidates in the valley, Abdullah said that the campaign had only just begun and that Congress leaders would be present at the NC election rally.
“We will hold public rallies together after talking with them. If you don’t see them before the conclusion of the campaign, please contact me,” he said.
According to Abdullah, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has indicated that the “BJP will not fight the three seats in Kashmir”.
“He has indicated that the party will not run candidates in Kashmir. During an event in Jammu, he said that the BJP is not in a rush to guarantee that the Lotus blooms in Kashmir.
Referring to the Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Party and the Sajad Lone-led People Conference (PC), Abdullah stated that the BJP is not contesting these elections since it is supporting the other parties.
He said that these elections are significant for a variety of reasons. “They take place immediately under Delhi’s jurisdiction.
We have not had an elected state government since 2018. That in itself is significant. In response to the BJP’s argument that parties like mine had lost ground, Abdullah said, “Where is the BJP on the ground? The BJP deliberately avoided fielding candidates for the three valley seats. So, the NC has not lost ground. It is the BJP since they filed candidates in all six J&K seats in 2019, including Ladakh,” he said.
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