SRINAGAR: Former Chief Minister and National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday alleged that the election on the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat was postponed to disenfranchise one community from voting.
Speaking to reporters after addressing party workers in the Dooru area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag, he said the election postponement was done at the behest of parties that have no candidates contesting in the constituency.
He said that neither the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nor the People’s Conference (PC) fielded a candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, yet the election was deferred upon their request.
The NC leader said the regions of Rajouri-Poonch and Anantnag-Kulgam are linked through Jammu and Reasi, even if the Mughal Road remains closed.
“This postponement was part of a conspiracy to disenfranchise a significant community from exercising their voting rights,” he said.
Expressing disappointment with the Election Commission, the former CM said the decision seemed to favour the BJP. “Hoping for justice from them (ECI) at this stage will be our misunderstanding,” he said.
Abdullah said the National Conference’s position is strong across all three seats and will win these constituencies.
Omar, who was accompanied by All India Congress Committee member G A Mir said they jointly campaigned in the Jammu division and now do it here as well.(KNO)
