Omar Abdullah stokes horse-trading fears, asks if BJP is trying to break other parties

NC leader Omar Abdullah on Wednesday accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading to form govt in J&K.

SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday attacked the BJP and accused it of trying to break other parties for political gains, a day after President's Rule was imposed in the state.

The National Conference leader said this in response to former J&K deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta's statement that ''we are working on something and people will get to know about it.''

Commenting on the current political situation in J&K after the BJP ended its alliance with Mehbooba Mufti's PDP, Gupta had said, ''I don't think a new govt will be formed anytime soon. Uncertainties are there, but we are working on something and people will get to know about it.''

I don't think a new govt will be formed anytime soon. Uncertainties are there, but we are working on something & people will get to know about it: Kavinder Gupta, Former Deputy CM of #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/F0GerQiExZ — ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2018

Hitting out at Gupta and his party, the NC leader tweeted, ''What do you mean 'we are working on something? The only “something” would be to break other parties & make up the numbers to form a BJP Govt. Has the former DCM inadvertently spilled the beans?''

What do you mean “we are working on something”? The only “something” would be to break other parties & make up the numbers to form a BJP Govt. Has the former DCM inadvertently spilled the beans? https://t.co/dbX4bK8goc — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 20, 2018

Abdullah had earlier demanded that the state assembly be dissolved after the BJP announced ending its alliance with PDP followed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's resignation.    

Abdullah had in the day said that his demand for dissolving the state assembly stems from the fact that the state of suspended animation helps in horse-trading.

Reacting to Gupta's statement, Omar further wrote on Twitter, "The J&K state assembly should be dissolved immediately and fresh elections should take place as soon as appropriate. The former DCM has admitted that BJP can't be trusted not to horse trade for government formation."

The J&K state assembly should be dissolved immediately & fresh elections should take place as soon as appropriate. The former DCM has admitted that BJP can’t be trusted not to horsetrade for Govt formation. https://t.co/dbX4bK8goc — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 20, 2018

In response to a reporter's claim that the BJP had already started horse trading to cobble up a majority in the assembly, Omar tweeted, "I know and I know who the chief architect is."

No major political party had staked claim to form government in J&K after Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP government collapsed on Tuesday after the BJP pulled out of the alliance.

Governor NN Vohra on Wednesday placed the state assembly in suspended animation instead of dissolving it.

The assembly put under suspended animation can be revived if the Governor is satisfied that a claimant to government formation has enough ground to prove majority on the floor of the house.

In the 87-member Assembly, the People's Democratic Party has 28 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party 25, National Conference 15, Congress 12, CPI-M 1, Peoples Conference 2 and Peoples Democratic Front 1. There are also three independent MLAs.

In the Mehbooba Mufti-led government, two MLAs of the Peoples Conference, headed by Sajad Lone, and Aga Bakir, independent MLA from Zanskar constituency of the Ladakh region, had announced support to the BJP.

(With IANS inputs)