'How come he is suddenly BJP's friend?': Farooq Abdullah's big charge on Independent candidates in J&K poll fray

Farooq Abdullah says the high turnout in the first two phases of the J&K assembly elections shows a shift in the thinking of the people.

Farooq Abdullah, president of the National Conference (NC), said Rahul Gandhi was the first to defend Article 370 in Parliament but it is not easy for the Congress to say it will restore it.

Speaking to Indian Express, Abdullah said the NC’s strategy on Article 370 will be legal. “We don’t want to shake the boat, we have to move forward, we have to help the people progress, get jobs, remove the contracts given to outsiders, restore land back to the people. The first right is of the people of the state,” he said. “We will fight for Article 370, there is no question (about it). It took them 75 years to remove it… First and foremost is to restore the state’s honour.”

Over 40% of the 908 candidates in Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections are Independents.

On being asked if the poll scene has been muddied with the large number of Independents in the fray, the NC president said even he does not know. “It’s (now) up to the people. We have tried to tell them the truth… All these people who are candidates are the A, B and C teams of the BJP… the Government. I hope the people decide very wisely… They (the people) know they (a reference to Engineer Rashid) were released to divide our votes. But they won’t be able to divide our votes. Ya hum bewakoof hain, ya woh bewakoof hain (Either we are fools, or they are)… A man charged with receiving Pakistani money, also calling for a plebiscite and a free J&K, how has he suddenly become a friend of the BJP,” said Abdullah.

The NC president said the government was behind such a move. “They think they will sweep Jammu. But Jammu is not the same… The ‘Hindu, Hindu, Hindu’ has disappeared. They have realised they have lost their lands, almost all contracts are given to outsiders, even people who work are brought from outside. Their children are highly educated but are not able to get jobs….” he told IE.

Abdullah said if there is a hung assembly, the NC-Congress alliance will not be part of the BJP.  “It is not going to be easy to govern with the present powers the Lieutenant Governor has. We want statehood to be restored immediately. All these special powers of the LG should be removed… They will have to do it. Otherwise, there will be an agitation,” said the NC chief.

On being asked if the NC was open to an alliance with the PDP, Abdullah told IE, “Who knows? Let’s see. Nothing is ruled out in politics, except (that) we are not going with the BJP.”

Abdullah also said the NC is open about entering an alliance with Independents. “If they have the same values as we have, I am sure the Congress and us won’t deny them entry. We want a strong government, an inclusive government,” he said.

According to him, the high turnout in the first two phases of the J&K assembly elections showed a shift in the thinking of the people. “It is hate against what the BJP did. They want to show their power… They not only feel suffocated, their honour is lost. We are slaves of Delhi. We are a Muslim-majority state which joined India, they want to completely remove that. They want to change the demographic position of the state,” he told IE.