Reiterating his demand for holding the parliament and assembly elections simultaneously in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that there is no justification for delaying the state elections “unless there is an intention to continue using Raj Bhavan for taking political decisions”.
Omar also said there were “sections” in the governor’sadministrations that don’t want to return to the elected government.
“There is no justification for holding (parliament andstate) elections separately unless your intentions are wrong and unless youintend to continue to use Raj Bhavan to take political decisions. There isabsolutely no reason why you can have the parliament elections and not conductthe assembly elections,” Omar told Greater Kashmir.
On the concluding day of its two-day visit to J&K, theelection commission of India (ECI) said on Tuesday that it would “keep in viewthe sentiments” voiced by the state’s mainstream political parties regardingthe “need for restoring a democratically-elected government” in the state.
While the political parties had urged the ECI to conduct theparliament and assembly polls simultaneously in the state, the election body didn’treveal its cards, saying it would decide in New Delhi whether to hold the twoelections separately or simultaneously.
Omar said that people in the state were not happy withcontinuation of the governor’s rule.
“The way it (Raj Bhavan) has been used to make far-reachingpolitical decisions rather than simple administrative ones is also the reasonthat the (state) elections should be held at the earliest,” said Omar.
Omar, the former chief minister, said even the Union homeminister Rajnath Singh has on three occasions in the past assured of providingall resources for simultaneous polls.
He said apart from assuring Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabharecently, Singh also told the all-party meeting called by foreign ministerafter the Balakot strikes across the Line of Control that all resources neededfor conduct of simultaneous polls will be provided.
“I asked the home minister in that meeting as to what theUnion government intends to do. He (the minister) told the meeting thatwhatever resources are required for simultaneous polls it will happen,” Omarsaid.
The National Conference leader said his party wantselections as early as possible.
“We have told the ECI that since it has been able to holdpanchayat and urban local body polls andno lesser a person than the Prime Minister has claimed the success of thoseelections, therefore the state elections should be held at the earliest,” hesaid.
However, without naming anybody, Omar said there aresections in the governor’s administration that don’t want to return to theelected government.
“They don’t want accountability restored in the system.These are the forces we have to guard against. These forces have been trying touse governor’s rule to carry forward their own agenda at the long term cost ofthe state,” said Omar.