'Fought Pakistani Generals And Won; Now Fighting Against Government In Delhi': Omar Abdullah

National Conference Vice President and former Chief Minister of the erstwhile J&K state, Omar Abdullah, asserted his candidacy for the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat with a firm declaration: "I have fought and won elections against Generals of Pakistan; today I'm fighting the polls against the government in Delhi, and I will win. This is my Kashmiri guarantee, not the Chinese guarantee." He made these remarks after submitting his nomination papers, accompanied by senior party leaders and supporters from both the National Conference and Congress, to the Returning Officer, Minga Sherpa.

Omar Abdullah, who has returned to parliamentary elections after a hiatus of 20 years, expressed confidence in securing a substantial victory. Criticizing the BJP's campaign tactics targeting minority communities and raising concerns about the Election Commission's conduct, Abdullah emphasized his fight against the government in Delhi and the RSS in Nagpur. He reiterated his commitment to restoring the rights of the people once in parliament.

Addressing a rally in Baramulla, North Kashmir, after filing his nomination, Abdullah took a swipe at the BJP and the Election Commission, suggesting that they might postpone the elections if they observed the overwhelming support for his candidacy. Referring to his main opponent, BJP-backed People's Conference Chairman Sajad Lone, Abdullah affirmed that regardless of the election date, victory would be theirs.

In a subtle dig at PM Modi's assurances, Abdullah underscored, "This is my guarantee, not the Chinese guarantee that others are offering. This is a pure Kashmiri guarantee." With the contest primarily between Abdullah and Lone, and Sajad Lone being supported by the Apni Party and BJP through back channels, the Baramulla race is poised for a showdown between these two political heavyweights.

In the 2019 elections, National Conference's Mohammad Akbar Lone secured victory in the Baramulla Parliamentary seat. With over 17.28 lakh registered voters, including 8.7 lakh males, 8.5 lakh females, and 33 transgenders, the constituency is witnessing a flurry of nominations, with around 12 candidates having filed papers so far. Among them, prominent figures like Sajad Gani Lone of the People's Conference and incarcerated independent candidate Er Rashid have entered the electoral fray. It's noteworthy that Er. Rashid is presently in Tihar jail facing terror-related charges. The parliamentary constituency is scheduled for polls on May 20th.