Srinagar, Oct 13: Leader of Opposition (LoP) Sunil Kumar Sharma on Monday criticized the Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir, calling it a “puppet” of the National Conference (NC) and alleging that NC founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah was imposed as Chief Minister on Congress MLAs in 1975 following his release from jail.
Addressing reporters, the BJP leader stated, “Congress doesn’t have its own existence in Jammu and Kashmir. It functions as a puppet of the National Conference. The Congress merely follows decisions made by the NC leadership. It is not an independent party.”
Sharma referred to the Congress’ recent decision to abstain from the Rajya Sabha polls, claiming the party remains under NC’s influence even today. “If you turn the pages of history, you will see that Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah was released from jail in 1975 and then imposed on Congress MLAs as Chief Minister. Even today, all decisions of the Congress party are dictated by the National Conference. The Congress has been repeatedly humiliated by NC, yet it remains unashamed,” he said.
The BJP leader’s remarks underscore ongoing tensions between regional parties in J&K, highlighting historical grievances and the perceived lack of autonomy of Congress in the Union Territory.