Srinagar: On the 117th birth anniversary of National Conference (NC) founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, his son and three-time chief minister Farooq Abdullah was Monday re-elected president of the Jammu and Kashmir’s grand-old party for the fourth time.
A statement of NC issued here said that the party unanimously re-elected Farooq Abdullah as the party president again in a delegate session held at the mausoleum of Sheikh Abdullah at Naseem Bagh, Hazratbal in Srinagar.
“Dr Farooq Abdullah has been re-elected as the party president in today’s delegate session at Dargah Hazratbal. Party delegates from the three provinces of Kashmir, Jammu, and Ladakh unanimously nominated only one name – Dr Farooq Sahab to continue as NC president. NC Provincial Presidents Nasir Aslam Wani, Rattan Lal Gupta, and Qamar Ali Akhoon attested to his nomination,” the statement said.
It said that earlier Farooq Abdullah and NC Vice President Omar Abdullah led the party in offering floral tributes and Fatiha at the mausoleum of Sheikh Abdullah on his 117th birth anniversary.
Speaking on the occasion, Farooq Abdullah said, “Boycotting panchayat polls in 2018 was a huge mistake and the party should contest every future election in Jammu and Kashmir. I, as NC president, am telling you (Omar Abdullah) that you have to contest the election because if we have to fight them (BJP) then we all have to jump into the fray and contest elections.”
The former union minister said, “The BJP will do anything, even attempt to buy your loyalties, but God will fail all their designs.”
He said, “If there will be any interference in elections then there will be such a storm, which you will not be able to control.”
Abdullah also threatened to launch an agitation in case such a thing occurred.
“We will be ready to sacrifice our lives. Farooq Abdullah will be the first to start an agitation over it,” he said.
The NC statement said that NC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, Additional General Secretary Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Provincial Presidents Nasir Aslam Wani, Rattan Lal Gupta, Treasurer Shammi Oberoi, Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, Senior leaders Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Abdul Rahim Rather, Mian Altaf, Mubarak Gul, Ajay Sadhotra, Shameema Firdous, Sakina Itoo, Zone Presidents, District Presidents, Constituency Incharges, women’s wing, media and social media cell, YNC, and minority wing functionaries were also present on the occasion.
It said that the occasion was marked by participation of party delegates from across Kashmir, Jammu, and Ladakh.
The statement said that the functionaries, who had thronged the venue, felicitated the party president.
It said that on the occasion the party delegates unanimously passed the political and economic resolution and a resolution on the freedom of press.
The statement said that later scores of delegations from across Kashmir, Jammu, and Ladakh called on the party president at his Srinagar residence to felicitate him on being elected back to the coveted post.