Engineer Rashid’s AIP, Jamaat-e-Islami dancing to someone else’s tunes: Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR: National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Monday said the strings of alliance between Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and Jamaat-e-Islami were being remotely pulled to take on his party.

“Their strings are connected somewhere else, they get their orders from them and they dance to their tunes,” Abdullah told reporters in the Pampore Assembly constituency in the Pulwama district.

The former chief minister was reacting to the AIP entering an alliance with former members of banned Jamaat-e-Islami who are contesting the polls as independent candidates.

“They have been fielded to take on the National Conference. We have no issues, we will fight them,” Abdullah added.

Asked about the BJP claims that 30,000 people were expected at the election rally in Srinagar to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the NC vice president said people can be gathered for rallies but that does not necessarily translate into votes.

“How difficult is it to gather 30,000 people by using money? The PM has addressed a rally earlier as well by gathering government employees. Don’t show me the rallies, show me the votes. I do not think it will translate into votes. Let the BJP win one seat from the Kashmir valley, then we can talk,” he said.

Asked about the BJP’s charge of dynastic rule, Abdullah said the ruling party has nothing to show for its six-year direct rule in Jammu and Kashmir.

“They do not have anything else to sell to the people. If they had done something for the people, they would have presented their report card. When a ‘fail’ is written in the report card, they have to say something else,” he said.

Abdullah said the NC had a good campaign for the first phase of polls.

“Our campaign has been good… people’s participation in NC events was high and we are hopeful that a good part of the votes will go to NC candidates and they will win,” he said. (PTI)