National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday questioned the rationale behind holding District Development Council (DDC) polls, claiming candidates were being stopped from campaigning on security grounds. He alleged non-BJP candidates were stopped from campaigning, while the administration was going out of its way to help the BJP.
“What sort of elections are being held in J&K where candidates are being stopped from campaigning? Is this the safe, terror-free J&K the Home Minister was tweeting about yesterday,” Abdullah said in a tweet. “The J&K administration is going out of its way to help the BJP & it’s recently created king’s party by locking up candidates opposed to the BJP, using security as an excuse. If the security situation isn’t conducive to campaigning what was the need to announce elections.” PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also said non-BJP candidates were not allowed to campaign freely and were locked up on the pretence of security. “But BJP & its proxies are given full bandobast to move around. Is this the democracy that GOI claimed its promoting in yesterday’s phone convo with US Pres elect,” Mufti tweeted.