J-K CM downplays rift with Cong, says open to support ‘better candidate’ in Nagrota bypoll

Jammu, Oct 16 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday downplayed differences with the coalition partner Congress and said the National Conference is open to support the national party in the upcoming assembly bypoll to Nagrota if it has a “better candidate”.

J&K Congress has not fielded any candidate for the October 24 Rajya Sabha elections to four seats in the Union Territory after the National Conference refused it a “safe seat”.

According to J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra, the party's central leadership sought one of the two Rajya Sabha seats that are going to polls separately but the National Conference offered the party one of the two seats, which are going to polls under a common notification.

The decision of the Congress has left the National Conference and the BJP in a direct contest in the Rajya Sabha polls with the regional party fielding four candidates against three by the saffron party. “As far as the Congress is concerned, there is no rift. In the Rajya Sabha polls, it was decided that we will fight on three seats and the Congress on one seat.

"I myself met a Congress general secretary in Delhi and explained to him that there is no question of giving any of the first two seats. I told him that there will be a better chance if the Congress fields its candidate on the fourth seat because PDP is not with National Conference but is part of the India bloc,” Abdullah told reporters at the NC headquarters here.

With the Congress deciding against fielding its candidate on the fourth seat, there is a talk of give and take from the other parties, he said in a veiled reference to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s condition that her party will support NC only if it supports its upcoming bills in the assembly session.

“Had there been a Congress candidate, such a thing would not have arisen and the party had a better chance of winning,” he said.

However, the chief minister said talks are going on with the Congress over the by-elections in Nagrota and Budgam assembly constituencies which are going to polls on November 11.

“If the Congress has a better candidate for Nagrota, we are ready to compromise with the party. We have no objection,” Abdullah said.

Asked about the reported statement of Mehbooba on the conditions for her party to extend support to the NC candidate for Rajya Sabha polls, Abdullah said he had not come across such a statement.

However, he said NC president Farooq Abdullah talked to her and requested her support for the party candidates who are pitted against the BJP.

“If votes are not cast against the BJP, then it will benefit the party. Abstaining is equivalent to voting in favour of the BJP,” the chief minister said, adding as far as giving consent to the bills moved by the PDP is concerned, these have not yet come before the House.

"So, I cannot say anything about bills as it is the Speaker who has to decide on these,” he said.

Abdullah said that those bills which are in favour of the public and which the assembly wants to pass, there will be no obstruction in that.

“But today, sitting here, I cannot interfere in the Speaker's work. All I can say is that if the bill comes before the House, then we will definitely consider it,” he said.

The chief minister said he is not worried about some politicians attacking his party. “Mufti is targeting NC and I am hoping that her party MLAs will vote in favour of our candidates. If I target her while answering the question, then it will not be good.” Responding to a question about Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone deciding to abstain from voting, he said they have sought his support for the Rajya Sabha candidates of the party because “if you do not vote in favour of the NC, you are working for the success of the BJP.

“And will Sajad be able to tell people in (his constituency) Handwara (why he worked so hard for the success of the BJP? Only he can answer this question,” he said.

Asked about his level of satisfaction with his government, he said it has no meaning because he is not the one who is going to vote for the party after the completion of a five-year term.

“People of J&K have to vote and I am working with the hope that people will be satisfied with my work after the next four years. How satisfied they will be, we will find out after five years of our rule,” he said.

“We cannot do better than this under the prevailing circumstances. We will do better in the future. This is my hope,” he added. PTI TAS TAS KVK KVK