Srinagar: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said that his son and party vice president Omar Abdullah will be the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He termed the NC-Congress combine’s overwhelming victory in the J&K assembly elections as a verdict against Centre’s move of August 5, 2019, abrogating Article 370 and downgrading the erstwhile state by bifurcating it into two Union territories.
Talking to reporters at his residence along Srinagar’s posh Gupkar Road, Mr. Abdullah said, “The mandate is clear and loud. It is a verdict against what they did in August 2019. I am thankful to the people of J&K”. He said that now Lieutenant Governor and his four advisors won’t run the affairs but the people of J&K through the representatives they have sent to the 90-member Legislative assembly. When asked who the chief minister would be, he said, “Omar Abdullah.”
In reply to another question, he said that the priority of the new government will be to address the daily life issues of the people including rising unemployment among the youth. Asked how he saw the support offered by various political parties, he said, “I’m thankful to all those who supported the NC in the elections.”
Later while addressing a huge crowd of NC supporters which had gathered outside his residence in jubilation, Mr. Addullah said, “This victory is not just for the National Conference, but for every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir who believes in peace and progress. The people have spoken loud and clear.”
The sentiment was echoed by his son who told the ecstatic crowd, “No one can deny that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have shown love to the National Conference, and whatever was left was made up by our alliance partners."
The JuniorAbdullah soon relocated to the central town of Budgam where he was declared a winner after defeating PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi by more than 18,000 votes. While thanking the voters, he said that those who had been brought in the field to destroy the NC have themselves perished by the peoples’ verdict.
He said, “I am thankful to the people of Budgam for supporting me. Those who were in the field including the one brought out of jail against the NC with an aim to destroy us have themselves perished.” He said that the huge mandate given to the NC has brought with it a huge responsibility which the party will try to discharge and reciprocate people’s love by fulfilling their demands.”
