Omar Abdullah Challenges Ghulam Nabi Azad to Direct Contest in LS Polls: A Clash of Political Titans in J&K’s Electoral Arena

Srinagar, 15-04-2024: Omar Abdullah, the vice-president of the National Conference (NC), has issued a challenge to Ghulam Nabi Azad, chairman of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), urging him to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections directly against him instead of resorting to criticisms from behind the veil of a camera. Abdullah, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, is presently campaigning for the Baramulla parliamentary constituency in north Kashmir during a four-day tour of the Chenab valley region. His aim is to rally support for the INDIA bloc candidate, Choudhary Lal Singh.

The Chenab valley, comprising districts like Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban, holds significant sway for Azad. It falls within the Udhampur parliamentary constituency, scheduled for polls on April 19.

While Azad was initially named as the DPAP candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, he later expressed uncertainty about his candidature due to lack of consultation by the party.

Abdullah openly challenged Azad, inviting him to test his electoral strength by directly contesting against him. He criticized Azad’s tendency to make statements against the NC while avoiding direct confrontation. Abdullah asserted his readiness to face Azad in the electoral arena and expressed skepticism about Azad’s ability to secure votes.

Despite adverse weather conditions, Abdullah persisted with his roadshow in support of Lal Singh, who is contesting on a Congress ticket against Union Minister Jitendra Singh.

Responding to Azad’s criticism of the NC during his election rallies, Abdullah alleged that Azad’s actions were influenced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He highlighted that the NC refrained from criticizing Azad until he began targeting NC president Farooq Abdullah, portraying Azad as aligning with the BJP.

During his address to the public amidst rainfall, Abdullah emphasized the purpose of his tour to the Chenab Valley, aimed at alerting people about the prevailing ground realities and efforts to divide their votes, weakening their collective voice. He criticized DPAP’s entry into the electoral fray, accusing it of serving BJP’s interests, especially in light of BJP’s controversial actions such as the revocation of Article 370 and the conversion of Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories in August 2019.

Abdullah lamented the lack of progress on promises made post the abrogation of Article 370, particularly regarding industrialization, employment generation, and overall development. He accused the BJP of failing to ensure local employment in ongoing power projects and criticized the decision to lease electricity from projects like the Rattle Hydro Electric Power Corporation Limited to Rajasthan while Kashmir faced power shortages. Abdullah linked this to alleged electoral funding received by the BJP from such projects.