National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said his hopes rest on the voters, as they will have to “avoid fragmentation of their votes” to avoid giving advantage to the people contesting solely to divide the vote share in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
"People will have to keep (the independent candidates contesting) in mind because most of these candidates are in Kashmir. It seems it is an attempt to fragment votes and divide people.
I hope people here will be cautious while going to polling booths and avoid their votes being divided,” Abdullah said.
He said he is hopeful that the people will vote in large numbers and will give their mandate to the NC-Congress alliance.
"We are hoping that the vote will be in favour of the candidates of the NC-Congress alliance, in which a CPI (M) member is also a part, but it is the voters who will decide. We have tried to take our agenda for J&K for the next five years to the voters, let us see what happens," Abdullah told reporters here.
He added that the current elections are important as they are happening after a gap of ten years. "The more we talk about the importance of these polls, the less it will be. They are happening after 10 years, and a lot has changed in these 10 years.
“Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two, Ladakh was separated from us, and we were granted a UT status even though we failed to understand how it benefitted us.
“We haven't forgotten what happened with Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, so the election is important,” said Abdullah.
PM Modi will be in J&K tomorrow for a poll rally, and while addressing a question regarding his rally, Abdullah said the VIP visit will not have any impact on the ongoing polls.
“His visit here is important for the BJP and not for the people; whatever he does will not have any impact on the polls…. It will be a big thing if the BJP can even give a reasonable fight on any particular seat in Kashmir Valley,” he said.
While taking Jibe at the BJP, he said, "This election is taking place because of the Supreme Court's order. The SC ordered elections to be conducted before September 30, and that is why they are being conducted. If the Centre does not do the other things, then we can have them through the SC.”
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