Sajad Lone Alleges National Conference Surrendered 7 MLAs to BJP in Rajya Sabha Elections
Peoples Conference chief alleges NC betrayed Kashmir by aiding BJP and vows to campaign against reservation policy.
Srinagar, Oct 25: Peoples Conference Chairman and Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone on Saturday accused the National Conference (NC) of betraying Kashmir by “killing merit” in government job allocations and collaborating with the BJP during the recent Rajya Sabha elections.
Speaking at a press conference in Srinagar, Lone said his party would launch a “full-fledged campaign” against the ongoing reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir, claiming it deliberately sidelines Kashmiri candidates. “This government is out to kill merit. Open merit has been buried. We are going to start a ground level registration drive against this policy,” he stated, warning that the system “is pushing Kashmir towards a major disaster.”
Lone also accused the NC of being “hand in glove” with the BJP during the Rajya Sabha polls. “Seven NC members directly gifted their votes to the BJP. It was a fixed match,” he alleged, asserting that cross-voting by NC lawmakers determined the outcome of the fourth seat.
Criticizing NC vice president Omar Abdullah, Lone said the Congress was deliberately denied a winnable seat, adding, “A national party carries weight on the national stage. Regional parties do not.” He further slammed NC’s past Rajya Sabha representatives for failing to deliver substantial results in Delhi, calling the party “submissive before Delhi” and accusing it of long-standing political deception.
On the abrogation of Article 370, Lone claimed “midnight meetings” between NC leaders and Delhi authorities before August 5, 2019, were marked by repeated betrayals. He urged Jammu and Kashmir’s people to recognize what he described as decades of political duplicity.
“The BJP ensures the victory of its candidates through these same people. They criticize BJP during elections to fool voters, but work together behind the scenes,” Lone said, adding that he was “grateful to Allah” for abstaining from voting in what he called a “corrupt process.”
Lone warned that his party is prepared to take the campaign to the streets if necessary, including door to door drives, hunger strikes, or mass protests. “Enough is enough,” he declared.
