Why Not? Farooq Abdullah Open To PDP Support In Forming Govt In Jammu And Kashmir

While firmly ruling himself out of the chief ministerial race, Abdullah called for the restoration of full statehood for J&K to empower the new govt to tackle pressing issues.

Ahead of the much-anticipated vote counting, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah expressed his willingness to collaborate with Mehbooba Mufti's People's Democratic Party (PDP) to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir. "Why not?" Abdullah said when asked about potential support from the PDP, highlighting the shared goal of improving conditions for the region's residents.

Abdullah, however, didn’t mince words when criticizing the BJP-led Centre's move to grant powers to the Lieutenant Governor for nominating members to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly’s five reserved seats. He stated that if the government goes ahead with this decision, the NC would approach the Supreme Court. "What is the point in making the government if the Lord Sahib remains here? We have to fight against all this," Abdullah told reporters.

The reserved seats are allocated for two women, two Kashmiri migrants, and one refugee from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah stressed that the power to nominate should rest with an elected government, not the LG.

While firmly ruling himself out of the chief ministerial race, Abdullah called for the restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir to empower the new government to tackle pressing issues. "I have done my chief minister's job. My focus now is on building a strong government and fulfilling our agenda for the people," he explained.

Abdullah acknowledged the alliance with the Congress but also mentioned he would not beg for support from independent candidates. "If they feel they can strengthen the state, most welcome. It should be their initiative," he remarked.

Expressing skepticism about exit polls, Abdullah stated, "They can be wrong or right. What will really show the truth is when the boxes are opened and votes are counted. We are hopeful that the alliance will form a stable government."

He also raised concerns about the neglect of Jammu by the central government, highlighting the poor infrastructure and lack of basic amenities like street lights. "The people of Jammu should understand where they have been taken. They used to accuse us of discrimination against Jammu. Today, it is their people sitting in Delhi. How did they forget Jammu?" he questioned.

Abdullah concluded by emphasizing the high expectations from the new government, saying, "Only God knows whether the new CM will be able to sleep." As the counting day approaches, all eyes remain on the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir.