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| Sajad Lone’s ‘love’ for Cong ends up helping BJP | | Rajya Sabha Polls | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 14: People’s Conference (PC) Chairman Sajad Lone on Monday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of denying the Congress party a Rajya Sabha seat at the behest of the BJP.
However, political observers believe Lone’s own decision to abstain from voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections could end up benefiting the saffron party.
Lone challenged Abdullah to prove that the National Conference’s (NC) decision to block Congress from winning a Rajya Sabha seat was not influenced by the BJP. He termed the NC’s stance a “betrayal” of the Congress, which, he reminded, had extended crucial support to the NC during the 2024 Assembly elections.
“Omar Abdullah has damaged the National Conference’s credibility and severed ties with Congress, despite the latter’s continued backing,” Lone said, adding that the NC’s actions ultimately serve to benefit the BJP.
Declaring the Congress as the only party “truly anti-BJP” and capable of playing a decisive role in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Lone asserted that he would “never vote for the National Conference, either ideologically or practically.” He announced that his party, the People’s Conference, would abstain from voting in the Rajya Sabha elections.
The PC chairman further accused Omar Abdullah of hypocrisy, recalling that the NC leader had once campaigned on an anti-BJP plank but was now allegedly aligning with BJP interests. “It is astonishing that the same Omar Abdullah who claimed that anyone not supporting the NC was helping the BJP is now acting in a way that directly benefits the saffron party,” Lone remarked.
Lone’s latest statement adds another layer to the intensifying political tussle in Jammu and Kashmir. He, along with other regional leaders like Waheed Parra and Langate MLA Rashid Engineer, has previously accused the National Conference of colluding with the BJP, calling their political dealings a “fixed match.”
The National Conference is part of the INDIA bloc, an opposition alliance that includes the Congress party. The two parties jointly contested the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, with Congress currently offering external support to the NC-led government. However, tensions have escalated ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.
Congress, which holds six MLAs in the Assembly, was expecting a safe seat among the four Rajya Sabha vacancies from Jammu and Kashmir. Instead, the NC reportedly offered Congress the fourth seat, considered risky and less winnable. Viewing the proposal as politically disadvantageous, the Congress decided not to field a candidate.
This round of Rajya Sabha elections carries particular significance, being the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and the subsequent reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir. The outcome is being closely watched, especially as the BJP lacks the numerical strength to secure a seat without external support. |
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