'Foolish' to expect Article 370 restoration from BJP: Omar Abdullah
National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah has said that hoping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—the party that scrapped Article 370—to restore it is "foolish." However, he added that this would not stop his party from keeping the issue alive and continuing their efforts. His comments came after the NC-Congress alliance emerged victorious in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election.
NC-Congress alliance's victory in J&K elections
In the results declared on Tuesday, the NC won 42 seats in the 90-member Assembly, forming a majority with its Congress ally. Abdullah said that the the results are a clear rejection of the BJP's 2019 decision to scrap Article 370. He added that the outcome reflected people's strong stance against BJP policies, especially in Kashmir where there was an overwhelming vote against them.
Abdullah's call for restoration of J&K's statehood
Abdullah also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to keep his promise of restoring J&K's statehood, which was stripped when Article 370 was abrogated in 2019. "The Prime Minister is an honorable man," Abdullah told NDTV, adding that he hopes PM Modi "lives up to his word." He rejected the notion that statehood restoration depended on a BJP government in J&K.
Abdullah's concerns over J&K's relationship with LG
Abdullah also raised concerns over the strained relationship between J&K and its current Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha. He urged Sinha to foster better ties with the incoming government. With a new government set to be formed in the erstwhile state for the first time in 10 years, Abdullah stressed the need for a "healthy working relationship" with New Delhi.
