Ganderbal, Aug 25: National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Sunday thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for going through the NC’s election manifesto.
Abdullah expressed satisfaction that the Home Minister had taken the time to review the NC’s manifesto, considering it a significant achievement for his party.
Talking to the reporters here, Omar said, “I thank the Union Home Minister for mentioning our election manifesto. He has made everyone read it. The unfortunate part is that he focused on just one paragraph.”
He said Shah’s comments prompted him to revisit the manifesto to ensure everything was in order. “After his comments, I checked our manifesto again to ensure we hadn’t left anything out,” he added.
When questioned about the NC’s alliance with the Congress and Shah’s comments on the coalition, Abdullah reiterated his appreciation for Shah’s attention to their manifesto but did not delve into further details regarding the alliance.
Omar also addressed People’s Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti’s “challenge” on whether the NC endorsed the PDP’s manifesto. He responded curtly, stating, “The PDP manifesto is a copy of ours,” without providing additional commentary on the subject.
Abdullah then turned his attention to reports about Jamaat-e-Islami’s efforts to lift its ban to contest elections in Jammu & Kashmir. He expressed disappointment that the ban had not been lifted despite the announcement of elections in the region. However, he welcomed the reports that Jamaat-e-Islami might field its candidates independently.
“We wanted them to contest the elections on their own symbol, however, the ban on the organisation has not been lifted,” Omar said, adding that if Jamaat-e-Islami decides to participate in the elections, they should present their own manifesto and promises to the voters.
Regarding speculations about a rift within the NC-Congress alliance, he said it was up to the party to make any necessary decisions, leaving the matter open-ended.
In a related development, it was confirmed by NC leaders during a gathering in Nunar that Omar Abdullah will contest the upcoming elections from the Ganderbal district in central Kashmir.
Party leaders Agha Ruhullah, Nasir Aslam Wani and Mian Altaf Ahmad announced that Abdullah would be representing the party in this key constituency.
Earlier, Omar welcomed the noted youth leader and political activist, Sayim Mustafa into the National Conference at a public meeting in Nunar, Ganderbal. The meeting was organised by Saim Mustafa.
“I am confident that Sayim’s decision to join the NC will greatly enhance the party’s longstanding presence in Ganderbal district,” Abdullah said.
