Omar accuses BJP, J&K administration of facilitating defections

Former Chief Minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to take jibe on the BJP and the J&K administration as the J&K Apni Party despite not winning many seats got hold of DDC in Srinagar and Shopian.

On Sunday Abdullah tweeted, “Shopian DDC election, even Srinagar for that matter, aren’t really a surprise. These people have been buying & selling elected representatives since 1984. Practice makes perfect!”

By referring to 1984 defections, Omar has pointed to Apni Party president father, Iqbal Bukhari, who was instrumental in encouraging the defection of 13 lawmakers from National Conference, bringing down Farooq Abdullah government at that time.

It is in place to mention that J&K Apni Party in the recently held DDC election could only win 3 seats in Srinagar and only 2 seats in Shopian district. However, the party could manage defections from PAGD and other parties and in the first phase of elections for the DDC chairpersons, J&K Apni Party by these defections managed control of DDC’s both in Srinagar and Shopian.

It not only triggered sharp reactions by the NC but the party also dispatched a delegation to the Chief Election, giving instances of how defections were being done.

The NC statement said, “The rampant instances of defection, and crossovers using coercion, intimidation and bullying post-DDC elections in Shopian, Srinagar, and elsewhere in Jammu and Kashmir is a telling indictment of the BJP’s brand of politics. BJP is wittingly helping political impropriety and opportunism take root. This, I believe, is not compatible with the country’s democratic moorings and certainly not in the greater interests of a region like that of ours”.