Srinagar, Sep 30: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday declared that he would rather resign than form a political alliance with the BJP to accelerate the restoration of statehood in the Union Territory.
Addressing a gathering in Achabal, Anantnag district, Abdullah emphasised that he is unwilling to compromise on political principles for the sake of statehood.
“If the people are ready, then tell me. I am not willing to make that trade. If including the BJP in the government is deemed necessary, then accept my resignation. Appoint any MLA here as chief minister and let them form the government with the BJP,” he said.
Abdullah acknowledged that bringing the BJP into the government could have potentially expedited statehood restoration. “There was a possibility that by including the BJP in the government, statehood might have been granted sooner. But I chose not to compromise our values,” he added.
The J&K CM’s statement underlines his firm stance on maintaining political integrity, even amid ongoing discussions and public demand for the reinstatement of statehood.