Omar Abdullah: I feel the atmosphere in south Kashmir will get worse; NC ready for fresh elections

Srinagar: National Conference (NC) working president Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that his party was ready for fresh elections in Jammu and Kashmir if PDP and BJP do not form a government. He also ruled out any fresh support to PDP, saying NC’s offer to form a government after 2014 assembly polls was turned down and it facilitated the ascent of BJP to power in the state. “We want to ask PDP and BJP how much more we will have to wait for government formation? Either you form a government or, if you are not ready, please inform the Governor so that he dissolves the assembly and we get ready for fresh elections,” said Omar. [caption id=“attachment_2656688” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Omar Abdullah. PTI[/caption] “If PDP and BJP do not form a government and there are fresh elections, then we are ready for the assembly polls,” he said. The state, where PDP is in alliance with BJP, is currently under Governor’s rule. While addressing NC’s youth convention, Omar said, “This situation is detrimental to the state. I believe some sort of uncertainty in a state like Jammu and Kashmir is tantamount to playing with danger. Both these parties should rise above their self interests and think about the state.” “Our offer was made to keep BJP away from the state. That time, Sayeed did not wait even for a minute to reject it. Today, there is no question of making a fresh offer because they have made BJP’s entry possible. “There are branches of RSS in Srinagar now and they are brandishing weapons in their marches in Jammu. They are burning houses of our Gujjar brothers and then police open fire on them. In such a situation, what is the meaning of making an offer to PDP,” he said. “Had Sayeed accepted our offer that time, then perhaps the situation in the state would not have been such,” Omar said. Expressing concern over encounters in south Kashmir, he said, “There was an encounter today as well. I am not concerned about encounters as much as I am about the situation which arises after the encounters. “The way an automatic law and order situation arises after the encounters…The situation which should be dealt politically is being dealt with administratively as there is a political vacuum. Until an elected government and elected representatives try to deal with such a situation, I feel the atmosphere in south Kashmir will get worse,” he said. PTI