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Srinagar, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) manifesto for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, claiming it aims to harm the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, during a campaign stop, Abdullah remarked on the BJP’s “Sankalp Patra,” or pledge document, saying, “I have been busy campaigning since morning. I have not read their manifesto as yet. But from what I have gathered, their manifesto has nothing for Jammu and Kashmir.”
Abdullah alleged that the BJP’s manifestos have historically been detrimental to the region. He expressed confidence that the INDIA bloc, a coalition including his own party, would win all parliamentary seats in Jammu and Kashmir and one in Ladakh in the elections.
Detailing the electoral arrangement, Abdullah noted, “As part of the seat-sharing agreement reached between the INDIA partners, the Congress will contest Jammu, Udhampur, and Ladakh parliamentary constituencies, while the NC will contest from the Islamabad-Rajouri, Srinagar, and Baramulla Lok Sabha seats.”
Despite the challenges, Abdullah remains hopeful about the restoration of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir before being revoked by the central government in 2019. “There are many like-minded parties such as the DMK and TMC, which are with us on Article 370. The BJP did not lose hope when it had just 2 Lok Sabha seats so why should we?” he stated.
He also referenced the BJP’s latest commitments in its manifesto, including the implementation of the Union Civil Code and promises of peace in the Northeast.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured three out of the six seats in the region, with the National Conference winning the rest. Polling in Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled across the first five phases of the elections, from April 19 to May 20.