NC rules out alliance with BJP

Party will fight elections on its own, says Omar

Ruling out any possibility of entering into an alliance with BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said he would not even shake hands with the leaders of saffron party from a distance.

“Recently, the BJP president (Amit Shah) made comments about Jammu and Kashmir, my party (National Conference) and even my family. I perhaps would not even shake hands with BJP from a distance,” Omar told reporters on the sidelines of a function in central Kashmir district of Ganderbal.

He announced that National Conference will fight the elections alone and there is no possibility of entering into pre-poll alliance with either Congress or BJP.
Expressing concern over the rising incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan on Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), Omar said India and Pakistan should talk over the issue.

“I want the Prime Minister to talk to his Pakistani counterpart and tell him that the ceasefire violations are not right,” the Chief Minister said.

Earlier while addressing a public meeting after inauguration of panchayat ghars at Kijpora in Kangan area of Ganderbal he said panchayats are the best tool to curb corruption and ensure transparency.

“We have reconstituted Accountability Commission and constituted Vigilance Commission to tackle corruption but the best tool in this regard are Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs),” he said.

Accusing opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of launching anti-panchayat poll propaganda was to derail the process of establishing powerful panchayat system in the state, he said, “The PDP leadership piloted and passed a Bill in the Legislature aimed at dissolving the then panchayats in the state prematurely.”

“But we met the Governor of that time Gen S K Sinha and made him to send the bill back without giving his assent as it was totally undemocratic and authoritarian,” Omar added.
DH News Service