'If the country felt very strongly about the BJP, then why did the country not put money where the mouth is?'
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah confronts the most difficult challenge in his electoral career.
In June, Omar lost the Lok Sabha election in Baramulla to Engineer Rashid, an accused in a terror funding case and who was incarcerated in Tihar jail.
Some Kashmiris believe the winds of change have arrived in the Valley and Omar will become obsolete politically post October 8 after the results of the assembly election.
Omar is a candidate in two assembly seats, Ganderbal and Budgam.
His decision to contest from Budgam came after the central government allowed jailed cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagar aka Sarjan Barkati, popularly known as Azadi Chacha, to contest against Abdullah in Ganderbal.
"It is not a coincidence that 49 to 50 percent of candidates contesting the elections are Independent candidates. These 49 to 50 percent of candidates are on this side of the mountain (Kashmir) and not in Jammu. This is being done by design and we need to caution the voters of Kashmir about it," Omar Abdullah tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com after a day of hectic campaigning in Budgam.
I have been hearing your speeches in Budgam and you seem to be highlighting the abrogation of Article 370 as one of the major issues. Why so?
No, this is not true as we are highlighting all the other issues concerning the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Abrogation of Article 370 is one of them.
The other thing I noticed is that you are cautioning voters about Independent candidates. Why, and what is the message?
In the past we have paid a heavy price for the division of votes (in Kashmir). And clearly that same thing is being attempted again in the 2024 assembly elections of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is not a coincidence that 49 to 50 percent of candidates contesting the elections are Independent candidates. These 49 to 50 percent of candidates are on this side of the mountain (Kashmir) and not in Jammu.
This is being done by design and we need to caution the voters of Kashmir about it.
Were you surprised by the Jamaat-e-Islami's decision to contest the elections?
They are contesting as Independent candidates. They are not using the Jamaat symbol or their name, but essentially they are Jamaat candidates.
Do you feel it is a ploy by the central government to divide votes as the Jamaat is a banned organisation? They are openly saying they are Independents but supported by the Jamaat.
That is fine. They cannot fight under their own name so they are fighting under independent names.
I wanted the ban on Jamaat to be lifted so that they can contest elections in their own name and own identity but that wasn't to be.
(The Jamat-e-Islami was banned in Jammu and Kashmir after the Pulwama attack of February 2019 in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force jawans were killed.)
Do you think the initial excitement of Engineer Rashid's release is ebbing in Kashmir now?
We will know the answer to this on October 8 when votes are counted, but definitely his impact is not the same as it was during the Parliament elections.
Do you get a sense that the euphoria over Engineer Rashid has decreased in a week?
It seems to be so, but as I said, let us wait till October 8.
Do you believe Article 370 can be restored by any chance, considering it is a done deal?
Why can't be it restored again?
But how is it possible?
You tell me why it can't be restored again.
For that you will need an absolute majority in Parliament.
So what? Are you implying that the BJP will be in a parliamentary majority forever? Will the situation in this country never change?
You need to get 300 +seats to restore it.
Are you saying that this will never happen? I am not ready to believe this will never happen.
It will happen for sure.
But Jammu and Kashmir has only 6 Parliament seats. Moreover, the Congress, which is a major constituent of the INDIA bloc, is not committing on restoring Article 370.
I don't expect the Congress to commit on Article 370 right now.
Clearly they are not in a position to commit on Article 370 right now and I understand their position why they are not in a position to commit on Article 370.
Why give BJP 100 (whips) to beat the Congress?
We in the alliance of the Indian National Congress and National Conference want to beat the BJP in the Jammu and Kashmir elections, so I understand the Congress's compulsions.
Many in the rest of India feels that abrogating Article 370 was the right thing and now this can never be undone.
Really! Is that the reason the BJP got 240 seats in the 2024 general elections?
The BJP spoke of getting 370 seats on their own and the slogan they gave was 'Ab Ki Baar 400 Paar'.
If the country felt very strongly about the BJP, then why did the country not put money where the mouth is?
Why did the people not vote for the BJP in big numbers?
Clearly, what you are saying about the country does not add up if you see the results of the 2024 general elections.
Do you feel there is sympathy in the rest of India for Kashmiris and Indians want Article 370 to be restored?
I don't know. I would like to believe that there is some sympathy for Kashmiris.
Obviously, Article 370 is an emotive issue. Nobody expects change overnight.
We believe Article 370 is an important issue that needs to be kept alive.
What about the power of the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir chief minister? Mehbooba Mufti said the new chief minister will have no power and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will have the real power.
How long do you think it will be before we in Jammu and Kashmir get our statehood back?
I believe that whichever government gets elected, the first thing they need to do outside the legislative agenda is to make sure we put pressure on the government in Delhi to restore statehood.
Are you then expecting some political crisis between the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir government and the lieutenant governor, like we are seeing in Delhi?
Initially, it will be a bit difficult (to rule).
There is no secret in that because we are a Union territory and it is a new experience for us.
But I believe it will be quite soon that statehood will come back to Jammu and Kashmir. I believe so for sure.
How many seats are you expecting to win this time considering the fact that you are drawing huge crowds?
I won't be able to answer that and you will need to wait till October 8, the counting day, to know the answer.
