SRINAGAR, May 16: National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Thursday questioned the timing of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Kashmir.
Expressing surprise, Omar said Shah is visiting the Valley despite the fact that no BJP candidate is in fray in Kashmir and that he is leaving behind the campaign for his party, BJP.
“Doesn't it look strange that despite BJP having no candidate in fray here, the Home Minister is visiting Kashmir, leaving behind his campaign for the Lok Sabha election”, he told media persons in north Kashmir's Bandipora district where he addressed an election rally.
Amit Shah is likely to arrive in Srinagar this evening on a two-day visit to meet the party workers.
Omar is contesting from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat and is pitted against the separatist turned mainstream political leader Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Lone, Mir Fayaz of Peoples Democratic Party and jailed leader Abdul Rashid Sheikh aka Engineer Rashid.
“Perhaps it is the outcome of the Srinagar Parliamentary seat that has been won by our candidate Aga Ruhullah Syed and they (BJP) are now desperate to try to defeat the National conference in the other two Lok Sabha seats”, the former Chief Minister claimed.
He claimed that “the people are with us (NC) and we will register our win in the other two seats-Anantnag and Baramulla as well with good voter turnout”.
On Jamaat-e-Islami expressing its willingness to contest polls, the NC Vice President said he has already demanded that the ban on them should be revoked and in the upcoming Assembly election they should participate.
Omar claimed that in the past Jamaat used to support different candidates behind the curtain. “They (Jamaat) will now have their own candidates in the fray should they (Jamaat) take part in the elections”, he added.
Asked about jailed leader Engineer Rashid who is contesting from Baramulla, whose supporters have managed to create a wave in his favour in the constituency, the former CM said that “everyone has the right to campaign in the elections”. He said “this wave” won't affect his prospects of winning the elections adding that “it is affecting those who were till yesterday claiming that they, People's Conference President Sajad Lone is winning the election”.
” He (Sajad) now says that my defeat is necessary rather than his victory as if he has accepted his failure…” (Agencies)
