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NC backed PDP to save J-K from uncertainty: Omar Abdullah

Omar Abdullah reacted angrily against Ram Madhav’s comment that the NC and PDP boycotted the urban local bodies polls at Pakistan’s behest.

NC backed PDP to save J-K from uncertainty: Omar Abdullah

National Conference working vice president Omar Abdullah. (Photo: IANS/File)

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that his party backed rival PDP in staking claim to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir to save the state from its “current mess” and uncertainty.

Addressing a press conference a day after Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the assembly, Abdullah demanded an investigation into his claim that there was horse-trading and the use of money in the attempts towards government formation in the state.

He added that his party will fight the coming election alone as NC will not back PDP.

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“Elections should as soon as possible. If not before the parliamentary elections, then with it,” he said adding that, “I don’t believe that joining hands with the PDP or the Congress is politically viable here. We don’t want to create a situation like 1987 where every political parties joined hand to fight elections.”

The governor’s surprise move to dissolve the J-K Assembly came hours after the PDP staked claim to form a government with the backing of rival NC and the Congress. This was followed by another bid from the two-member People’s Conference which claimed the support of the BJP and 18 legislators from other parties.

Abdullah also said that it was for the PDP to challenge the Governor’s decision to dissolve the state Assembly.

He said that since it was the PDP and not the National Conference that had sent a letter to the Governor claiming majority support in the Assembly, it was for the PDP to challenge Satya Pal Malik’s Wednesday night move.

“We never sent any letter to the Governor. The primary decision to challenge the Governor rests with the PDP,” he said.

The National Conference reacted angrily against BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav’s comment that the National Conference and PDP had boycotted the urban local bodies polls at Pakistan’s behest and were now trying to forge an alliance under directions from Islamabad.

“It is unfortunate that a senior BJP leader has said that we got instructions from Pakistan. I challenge Ram Madhav and his associates to prove this with evidence.

“You are disrespecting the sacrifices of my colleagues who refused to dance to Pakistan’s instructions and died,” he said.

In a lighter vein, Abdullah said this was for the first time that a fax machine did not work in a Governor’s office and became responsible for the death of democracy.

“This fax machine is a one-way fax, it has only outgoing and no incoming. This is a unique fax machine and an investigation should be done.”

The comment was in response to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s statement that her party had sent a fax to the Raj Bhawan claiming support of 56 MLAs but it did not reach Raj Bhawan.

 

(With agency inputs)

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