'Rahul Must Focus On Jammu': Omar Abdullah Upset Over Ally Congress' Campaign Strategy In J-K Elections

Moments after voting in the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections on Wednesday, National Conference vice president and party candidate from Ganderbal and Budgam Omar Abdullah advised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to focus his party’s campaign in Jammu instead of the Kashmir region.

Both the National Conference and the Congress are sharing a pre-poll alliance in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, with NC contesting 51 seats and Congress 32. The Congress-NC seat-sharing decision was announced after months of hectic negotiations.

Abdullah said that the role of the Congress party is least important in Kashmir, but significant in Jammu. The party, however, has put minimal efforts into campaigning in the Jammu region and failed to meet the alliance expectations, he added.

“I hope after Rahul is done campaigning in one or two seats in Kashmir, he focuses on Jammu. Ultimately what the Congress does in Kashmir is not important. What the Congress does in Jammu is important. Unfortunately, Congress hasn’t done as much in the plains of Jammu as we would expect them to do,” said Abdullah after he voted in the second phase of elections.

A possible chink in the NC-Congress alliance comes even as polling for the second phase of the J-K election is underway.

Congress’ Campaign In Jammu Yet To Begin: Abdullah

He added that most of the seats in the Jammu region were given to the Congress party under the alliance terms. “Yet, the Congress’ campaign in Jammu is yet to begin and there are only five days of campaigning,” he said.

He further went on to urge Rahul Gandhi to focus his attention on the Jammu region to bolster NC-Congress alliance prospects in the ongoing assembly polls.

The Jammu and Kashmir elections have become a prestige battle for Abdullah, the NC candidate for Ganderbal. The NC leader who is still reeling from the hurt inflicted by the defeat in the recently held Lok Sabha elections is looking to reclaim the family stronghold of Ganderwal.

Abdullah On Foreign Delegates Observing J-K Polls

Abdullah Wednesday lashed out at the Centre’s move to invite foreign delegates to observe the ongoing assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the polls were an internal matter of India.

“I don’t know why foreigners should be asked to check elections here. When foreign governments comment, then the government of India says ‘this is an internal matter for India’ and now suddenly they want foreign observers to come and look at our elections,” Abdullah said.

It comes after a delegation of diplomats from various countries arrived at a polling station in the Bemina area of Srinagar to witness the celebration of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.

The voting in three-phased Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir commenced on September 18. With the second phase currently underway, the third phase of polling is scheduled for October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8, the Election Commission said.