Farooq Abdullah Calls Engineer Rashid BJP Agent After Jail Release

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah labeled Baramullah MP Engineer Rashid as a BJP agent following his interim bail release. Rashid's bail aims to allow him to campaign for upcoming Jammu and Kashmir elections. Abdullah reiterated his commitment to restoring Article 370 and 35A during a public rally.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has labeled Baramullah MP Engineer Rashid as an 'agent' of the BJP. This statement came a day after Rashid was released on interim bail from Tihar Jail, granted by Delhi's special NIA court to allow him to campaign for upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. Rashid is required to surrender on October 3.

The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are slated for September 18, September 25, and October 1, with counting scheduled for October 8. Addressing whether Rashid's release will impact the pre-poll alliance of the National Conference and Congress, Abdullah said, 'I have put my trust in God and the people. He is their agent. Everyone knows it.'

Reaffirming his party's promise to restore Article 370 and Article 35A, Abdullah emphasized, 'By God's will, we will also restore it. Article 370 is the heartbeat of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.'

Speaking at a public rally in Shopian, Abdullah also responded to accusations from Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the National Conference promotes terrorism. 'Bombs were hurled at my home. Where were they when we fought the 1996 assembly elections? They were sitting at home when our people were losing their lives,' he said.

These will be the first assembly elections held in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. The region has 90 Assembly constituencies, with 7 seats reserved for SCs and 9 for STs. According to the Election Commission of India, Jammu and Kashmir has 88.06 lakh eligible voters.

In the last Assembly elections, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) won 28 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 25, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) won 15, and the Congress took 12 seats.

(With inputs from agencies.)