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SRINAGAR, Oct 25: National Conference (NC) President and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today rubbished allegations of a “fixed match” between his party and the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections, terming them “propaganda.”
Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters here, Abdullah said NC legislators stood united and ensured victory on three seats after a tough contest.
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“There will be allegations every time, and we have to face them. The claim that we facilitated the BJP’s win is mere propaganda,” he said.
Abdullah said that after winning three seats, the NC was close to securing the fourth as well, but “some people did not keep the promises they had made.”
“If we had gifted it to them, how would the fourth seat have still received 22 votes? They had come to us asking us not to contest-saying the NC would get three seats and they would keep one-but we refused. We said we would go to the field and fight,” he said.
When asked whether the party was deceived by those who voted for or aided the BJP, Abdullah replied, “Such things happen in elections. I don’t know what it was, but I am thankful that we have won three seats.”
He stressed that all NC MLAs stayed together and the opposition “could not break even one.”
“It looked like there was no unity, but you saw that we stood firm. I am thankful to the Congress, the PDP, and the independents who supported us,” he said.
When asked whether the newly elected members would raise the issues of the people of J&K in Parliament, Abdullah said they would “speak for the people,” which will be clear through their performance.
Responding to JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra’s statement that the Congress took the right decision by not fielding its candidate for the fourth seat, Abdullah said, “he has a right to say whatever he wants.”
He said the NC had offered the Congress to contest the Nagrota bypolls. “Why didn’t they accept? What’s the matter? Better ask them,” he said.
“I spoke with the Congress high command, and they said they would not field a candidate. Now we will fight it out there, and we will see where we stand in Nagrota,” he added.
Commenting on the upcoming Bihar elections, Abdullah said, “the BJP should lose it, and I wish for that.”
Referring to the issue of electricity tariffs and the recent criticism of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over his remarks on smart meters, Abdullah said he would not respond to criticism but maintained that “power cannot be free.”
“I have always said-even when I was Chief Minister in 1984-that power is not free. We are spending thousands of crores for the welfare of the people, and we also have to pay thousands of crores for power,” he said.
Abdullah added that power theft and non-payment of electricity dues must be addressed. “If we have to save J&K, we must be patient and bear some hardships,” he said.
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