news details |
|
|
| CM Omar’s ‘Rs 30 crore offer’ claim triggers political firestorm | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, July 12: A fierce political slugfest broke out after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah alleged that the BJP was attempting to topple the National Conference (NC)-led government by offering Rs 30 crore each to some of the ruling party’s MLAs, triggering sharp reactions from the opposition as well as the ruling alliance.
The BJP strongly denied the allegations, with Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma asserting that several NC legislators were themselves willing to join the saffron party without any inducement.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary rallied behind the Chief Minister, accusing the BJP of trying to destabilise a democratically elected government. Adding another dimension to the controversy, NC MLA Abdul Majeed Larmi claimed that he had been approached on multiple occasions to quit the party.
The controversy erupted after Omar Abdullah alleged that attempts were being made to engineer defections within the ruling party by offering huge sums of money to its legislators.
Rejecting the allegations, BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the party had no need to lure NC legislators.
“What to say of offering Rs 30 crore? I want to categorically make it clear that many National Conference MLAs are ready to join the BJP without any preconditions,” Sharma told reporters.
He, however, added that the BJP was not inclined to induct them at present.
“As of now, the BJP is not ready to induct National Conference MLAs,” he said.
Sharma also claimed that dissatisfaction was brewing within the National Conference following the political entry of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s sons.
“After Chief Minister Omar Abdullah launched his sons into politics, many National Conference MLAs feel that the fourth generation of the Abdullah family is set to rule over them. Therefore, several of them are ready to leave the party,” he alleged.
Claiming that a section of NC legislators wanted to break free from dynastic politics, Sharma said he would reveal their identities “at an appropriate time.”
“The new generation of the National Conference wants to free itself from the yoke of the Abdullah family’s dynastic politics,” he added.
Backing the BJP’s stand, the party’s national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi described the Chief Minister’s allegations as “irresponsible and baseless” and challenged him to substantiate his claims.
He demanded that Omar Abdullah either produce concrete evidence or issue a public apology.
Trivedi further alleged that the Chief Minister was attempting to divert public attention from the failures and alleged misgovernance of his administration.
“Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has made a highly irresponsible and condemnable statement by alleging that the BJP is trying to poach MLAs from his party. The BJP’s J&K unit has strongly condemned the statement and has directly asked him to either provide evidence or apologise,” Trivedi said.
Coming out strongly in support of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary accused the BJP of attempting to undermine a government elected by the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Tell me, when has the BJP ever spoken the truth? The BJP’s politics is built on lies. They came to power in 2014 on the basis of lies, returned in 2019, and again in 2024. Their foundation has always been lies. Omar Abdullah is not one of those leaders who make false claims. He verifies the facts before making any statement,” Choudhary said.
He asserted that the National Conference government was formed through a democratic mandate and not by nomination.
“This statement will make the people of Jammu and Kashmir think about what the BJP really wants. Elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held under the laws enacted by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. The National Conference government, led by Omar Abdullah, is an elected government, not a nominated one. It was chosen by the people under the country’s constitutional framework,” he added.
Meanwhile, National Conference MLA Abdul Majeed Larmi claimed that he had been approached by certain individuals to switch political loyalties.
“I do not want to disclose their names, but it is true that I was approached two or three times. They told me they already had the support of 20 MLAs and promised me everything if I joined them,” Larmi alleged.
The exchange of allegations has intensified political tensions in the Union Territory, with both the ruling National Conference and the BJP accusing each other of misleading the public. While the Chief Minister has alleged attempts to destabilise his government through monetary inducements, the BJP has dismissed the charge as politically motivated and demanded evidence to support the claims. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
