Omar challenges BJP to prove horse trading allegations and Pakistan links, slams Governor Satya Pal Malik

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was abruptly dissolved by the Governor on Wednesday after PDP staked claim to form a government with the backing of rival National Conference and the Congress.

SRINAGAR: Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday lashed out at state Governor Satya Pal Malik and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ram Madhav, asking them to prove their allegations. 

“The Governor has accused us of horse trading. Now that you've admitted receiving complaints of MLAs being bought, tell us who's behind all this? Who's giving all this money? People deserve to know answers,” said Abdullah at a press conference. Earlier in the day, Malik had said that he's been receiving complaints horse trading for 15 days and MLAs being threatened. 

He also hit out at BJP National General Secretary's statement accusing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and NC of receiving instructions from across the border to form a government together in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Challenged Madhav to prove the allegations or else apologise, the NC leader tweeted, “I dare you @rammadhavbjp ji to prove your allegation. You have RAW, NIA & IB at your command (CBI too is your parrot) so have the guts to place evidence in the public domain. Either prove this or be man enough to apologise. Don’t practice shoot & scoot politics.”

I dare you @rammadhavbjp ji to prove your allegation. You have RAW, NIA & IB at your command (CBI too is your parrot) so have the guts to place evidence in the public domain. Either prove this or be man enough to apologise. Don’t practice shoot & scoot politics. https://t.co/KEbOo0z6O2

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 22, 2018

No, misplaced attempts at humour won’t work. You HAVE claimed my party has been acting at the behest of Pakistan. I dare you to prove it! Place the evidence of your allegation of NC boycott of ULB polls at Pak behest in public domain. It’s an open challenge to you & your Govt. https://t.co/7cumKwKxuM — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 22, 2018

“You are disrespecting our workers' sacrifice in the state. Ask us how much we sacrificed. Ask the children of those dead, how much they sacrificed,” said Abdullah. 

Speaking on NC supporting PDP, who have rivals in the state for a long time, he said, “Everyone knows supporting PDP wasn't easy for National Conference. But we did this to save the state. This arrangement was to save J&K from the current mess, from uncertainty.” 

In a fast-paced development on Wednesday, the state Assembly was abruptly dissolved by the Governor, hours after the PDP staked claim to form a government with the backing of rival National Conference and the Congress followed by another bid from the two-member People's Conference which claimed the support of the BJP and 18 legislators from other parties.

With agency inputs