JOIN USNC ready to recalibrate with new political reality in Jammu & Kashmir
The statement of National Conference (NC) leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah that Article 370 was “more of the Congress’ legacy than ours” is enough indication that the erstwhile state’s oldest political party is ready to recalibrate with the new reality.
“I still believe that Article 370 was more of the Congress party’s legacy [viraasat] than ours, but I won't want to comment on their (Congress politics),” he told reporters after joining the Rahul Gandhi led Bharat Jodo Yatra on Thursday.
Abdullah scion further stated that their fight for statehood will continue through the Court. However, he didn’t mention anything related to restoration of Article 370, which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
On August 5, 2019, Parliament revoked the special status under Article 370 and the erstwhile state was bifurcated into two union territories (UTs).
Talking about the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, the former CM said, “As far as statehood is concerned, it should not have been taken from us. But since they (Center) have done it now, we are waiting for statehood again.”
Political observers believe that Omar’s statement is a clear indication that the NC was ready to bargain with the Center. “Unlike PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, the NC has time and again given enough indications that they were ready to accept August 5, 2019 decisions, if the Center restores J&K’s statehood,” Javid Trali, a political analyst, told DH.
Trali, who heads J&K Policy Institute, a Srinagar-based think-tank, says Omar’s yesterday’s statement is a message for the Center that the NC has moved beyond Article 370 restoration rhetoric.
On her part, Mehbooba Mufti, who was the last chief minister of J&K, has made it clear that when it comes to assembly polls, she will not fight any elections until and unless the erstwhile state’s own constitution under Article 370 is restored.
Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) president, Farooq Abdullah on Thursday, also claimed that his son and another former chief minister Omar will not contest assembly elections till statehood was restored to Jammu and Kashmir.
For the last more than two years Omar has several times asserted that he will not contest assembly polls till statehood is not restored. However, he has never kept restoration of Article 370 as a condition to contest the polls.
Majid Hyderi, a political observer said that Abdullahs have realized the new political reality and want early elections.
“They (Abdullahs) are in a better position than Mehbooba’s PDP which disintegrated after the fall of PDP-BJP alliance in June 2018. For PDP’s survival Mehbooba taking a hardliner approach is best suited as it has nothing to lose now. But Abdullahs know that if they take the same route, the NC may disintegrate like the PDP,” he added.