SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday ruled out any possibility of allying with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to expedite the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory, stating that his party would not repeat “mistakes made by others in the past.”
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah said the National Conference would continue to fight politically and democratically for the reinstatement of J-K’s statehood, but without compromising its principles or aligning with the BJP. “If the restoration of statehood is dependent on the BJP coming to power in Jammu and Kashmir, then the national party should be honest in saying so,” he said.
He further pointed out that the BJP’s stance on J-K’s political status had been inconsistent, adding, “The BJP, in its manifesto, its commitments to Parliament, and its submissions before the Supreme Court, never stated that statehood would be contingent upon the BJP forming the government here.”
Abdullah emphasised that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had already paid a heavy price for political compromises made in the past and that his party would not repeat such errors. “We will continue our democratic struggle for the rights and dignity of the people. The restoration of statehood is our constitutional right, not a favour from any political party,” he said.
The National Conference leader also took a swipe at the BJP for what he termed as “political opportunism,” saying that the issue of statehood should not be linked to electoral gains. “If the BJP is genuinely committed to restoring J-K’s statehood, it should do so without making it conditional upon political control,” Abdullah added.
The remarks come amid renewed discussions over the Centre’s assurance in Parliament that statehood to Jammu and Kashmir would be restored “at an appropriate time.” Opposition parties, however, have criticised the delay and accused the government of politicising the issue.
