BJP deliberately delaying statehood: CM Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR — Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday ruled out the possibility of any split within the National Conference, saying there was “no Eknath Shinde” in the party, while accusing the BJP of trying to weaken the elected government in Jammu and Kashmir through political pressure and delay in restoration of statehood.

Talking to reporters in Srinagar, Omar Abdullah reacted to remarks made by the Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma and said the BJP appeared impatient to return to power in Jammu and Kashmir.

“There is no Eknath Shinde in the National Conference. The Leader of Opposition is impatient to grab the chair of Chief Minister,” Omar Abdullah said.

The remarks were a reference to Maharashtra’s former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who led a major rebellion within the Shiv Sena in 2022. The revolt split the party founded by Bal Thackeray and eventually led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in Maharashtra. Shinde later formed the government with BJP support and became the Chief Minister, making the political episode one of the biggest party defections in recent Indian politics.

Drawing a contrast with Maharashtra, Omar Abdullah asserted that National Conference legislators remained firmly united behind the party leadership.

“Eknath Shinde left his party because the BJP helped him. National Conference is strong, and NC MLAs stand with NC,” he said.

On Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the Chief Minister said it will not immediately impact Jammu and Kashmir because Assembly elections in the Union Territory are still several years away.

“There may not be much impact in Jammu and Kashmir right now because elections here will take place in 2029. We have to see what impact such developments have in other states first,” he said.

Omar Abdullah also renewed his criticism of the delimitation exercise carried out in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, alleging that the process was politically designed to benefit the BJP.

“We have already felt the heat of delimitation, and everybody knows what delimitation was. It was done to benefit the BJP,” he alleged.

The Chief Minister further linked the delay in cabinet expansion to the continued absence of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

“Cabinet expansion is not taking place because we have not got statehood back. It is not fear that has stopped cabinet expansion, but lack of statehood,” Omar Abdullah said.

He alleged that the BJP was deliberately preventing the elected government from functioning smoothly.

“I repeatedly say that the statements of the Leader of Opposition prove that till the BJP gets power here, they will not allow us to function properly and will not restore statehood,” he said.

Accusing the BJP of using pressure tactics, Omar Abdullah said the party believed in “threatening and blackmailing politics.”

Responding to another political question regarding Tamil Nadu, Omar Abdullah said constitutional principles and Supreme Court observations favoured giving the single largest party the first opportunity to form the government.

“Keeping the Supreme Court verdict in mind, the single largest party should be allowed to form the government in Tamil Nadu. Vijay should be given the chance, and if he proves a majority in the Assembly, it is fine. Otherwise, he will have to resign,” he said.