Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti visited a detained District Development Council (DDC) candidate in south Kashmir on Wednesday, and said the naming of National Conference (NC) president Dr. Farooq Abdullah in the Roshni Scheme showed Delhi was “rattled by our decision to contest polls”.
“The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) is using ploys to divert attention. It uses a Deputy Commissioner to summon Dr. Abdullah and the Roshni scam is a new ploy. The BJP is feeling unnerved by the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration’s decision to join the DDC poll fray,” Ms. Mufti said.
She made these remarks during her visit to Shopian’s Zainapora, where an alliance candidate was allegedly not allowed to campaign for the polls. “The PAGD candidate was not allowed to come out for the past 15 days for campaigning. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and State Election Commissioner K.K. Sharma were making false claims that every candidate is allowed to go for campaigning,” the former chief minister said.
Ms. Mufti said the BJP would “use grenades and guns to bag seats”.
“People should defeat the BJP this time. The Centre was of the belief that parties in J&K won’t participate in the polls so that they can ensure the victory of their candidates through back door channels,” she said.
The J&K administration, in a new list issued on Tuesday, named Dr. Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah as “land encroachers”.
