Engineer Rashid Accuses Abdullahs of Collusion in Article 370 Abrogation

Sheikh Abdul Rashid claims Farooq and Omar Abdullah collaborated with PM Modi during the Article 370 abrogation in Jammu and Kashmir. Rashid alleges BJP aided the National Conference's return to power. Previously arrested, Rashid won a landslide 2024 election victory from jail over Omar Abdullah.

In a startling accusation, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, the President of the Awami Ittehad Party, claimed that Farooq and Omar Abdullah conspired with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the abrogation of Article 370, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status.

Rashid alleged that the BJP facilitated the return of the National Conference to power. He cited a meeting between Modi and Farooq Abdullah days before the Article 370 decision, suggesting the Abdullahs were complicit in a "match-fixing" scenario surrounding the controversial move.

Rashid, who has faced legal challenges, including arrests in 2005 and 2019 under charges ranging from supporting militants to the Unlawful Activities Act, managed a significant political victory by winning the 2024 parliamentary elections from jail. He achieved this by defeating Omar Abdullah, a prominent political figure, backed by a significant voter margin.

(With inputs from agencies.)