'Why pick fight for no reason?' Omar Abdullah on managing ties with Centre

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in an Interview revealed his approach towards the central government and said it’s important to keep relations constructive. When asked if he is being cautious not to antagonise the PM Modi-led government, Abdullah said, "Look, if push comes to shove, then that will inevitably happen. Why does one have to start on an antagonistic note?"

Omar Abdullah who came to power last year after his party won the J&K election by a huge margin has met Amit Shah twice and met PM Modi recently during the tunnel inauguration in Sonamarg. Abdullah seems to be being conciliatory while interacting with the BJP leadership but at the same time is firm on his demand of statehood for J&K.

Abdullah said, "The fact is that when I met the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, they were very sort of forthright in saying that the people have spoken, that mandate has to be respected, and that they will support and assist the government to the fullest extent."

He explained his point by asking, "So when they haven't left any scope for antagonism, why should I pick a fight where one is not necessary?"

But Omar Abdullah was realistic about the future, "Going ahead, if it comes to that, then we'll see. But that situation hasn't arisen."

When asked about pushback against him from those who want a hardliner approach, Omar Abdullah said, “That's okay. Politics is about having different opinions. So there will be people who don't agree with me. They're welcome to try their luck and sit on the chair that I'm sitting on. Let them. Then they can be as belligerent as they like.”

“And if their method works better than mine, I'll be the first person to come on a program of yours and say that they were right and I was wrong,” he said.

Omar Abdullah also clarified that just because he is working with the government in Delhi it doesn’t mean his party is in sync with the BJP on issues related to Jammu & Kashmir.

He said, “I'm not soft towards the centre. Please understand, working with the government does not mean that I accept everything they do. It does not mean that I accept what the BJP does. It does not mean that there is any common meeting ground whatsoever between the position of the National Conference on issues that matter to Jammu and Kashmir and what the BJP has done. There is no meeting of minds on these things.”

“But if we are agreed that Jammu and Kashmir needs to progress, that development needs to take place, that statehood needs to be restored, should I pick a fight where at the moment there isn't the need for one?” Abdullah questioned