Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has ruled out any pre-poll alliances with other parties for the upcoming Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir. “We will not form any alliances,” Abdullah said. Top politicians from Jammu and Kashmir will not personally meet with the Election Commission of India, instead, representatives from their respective parties will attend the meeting. Nasir Aslam Wani from the National Conference and Ghulam Nabi Hanjuri from the PDP are scheduled to meet the commission today.
The commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, will meet the party representatives to gather feedback on conducting the elections. Following these consultations, the commission will confer with the Centre to finalise the election dates.
“Regardless of whether the dates have been announced, the Election Commission will visit. They will meet with everyone, consult with the Government of India and then finalise the dates. They cannot decide on the dates on their own. Nowadays, everything is determined by the Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah,” he added.
‘Govt shouldn’t interfere in religious matters’
On the government’s new Hajj policy, Abdullah said government should not interfere in religious matters. He argued that individuals fund their own Hajj pilgrimages and the government has already eliminated subsidies. Abdullah questioned the government’s authority to restrict people’s religious practices, comparing it to controlling those who visit Amarnath or Badrinath.
Abdullah blames govt action strained ties
Regarding Bangladesh, Abdullah said that India is now isolated, with no neighbouring countries considering it a friend. He attributed this to India’s actions, saying it has alienated its “younger brothers” (Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka). Abdullah advocated for reviving the SAARC to address regional issues and foster friendships. He said that it is India’s responsibility as the “big brother” to engage in dialogue and resolve problems, allowing neighbouring countries to become friends once more.
