Omar Abdullah Criticizes AIP-Jamaat Alliance, Challenges BJP's Rally Claims

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah criticized the alliance between Sheikh Abdul Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party and Jamaat-e-Islami, claiming it aims to undermine NC. He also dismissed BJP's rally turnout as ineffective for votes and challenged their governance record in Jammu and Kashmir.

National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Monday accused the alliance between Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and Jamaat-e-Islami of operating under external influence, intending to challenge his party. ''Their strings are connected somewhere else, they get their orders from them and they dance to their tunes,'' Abdullah told reporters in the Pampore Assembly constituency in Pulwama district.

The former chief minister reacted to AIP forming an alliance with ex-members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami contesting elections as independents. ''They have been fielded to take on the National Conference. We have no issues, we will fight them,'' he added.

Regarding BJP's claim of gathering 30,000 people at PM Narendra Modi's rally in Srinagar, the NC vice president argued that assembling a crowd doesn't equate to votes. ''How difficult is it to gather 30,000 people by using money? The PM has addressed a rally earlier as well by gathering government employees. Don't show me the rallies, show me the votes. I do not think it will translate into votes. Let the BJP win one seat from the Kashmir valley, then we can talk,'' Abdullah commented.

On BJP's charge of dynastic rule, Abdullah countered that the ruling party has no substantial achievements in its six-year direct rule of Jammu and Kashmir to present. ''They do not have anything else to sell to the people. If they had done something for the people, they would have presented their report card. When a 'fail' is written in the report card, they have to say something else,'' he stated.

Abdullah concluded by reflecting on NC's campaign success for the first phase of the polls. ''Our campaign has been good... people's participation in NC events was high and we are hopeful that a good part of the votes will go to NC candidates and they will win,'' he asserted.

(With inputs from agencies.)