Shah’s Kashmir visit meant to push administration, BJP proxies to defeat NC, says Omar

Omar Abdullah expressed fears that Amit Shah’s recent two-day visit was to “direct the administration and the BJP to ensure the defeat of the National Conference“ in the upcoming elections.

National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Saturday expressed fears that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent two-day visit was to “direct the administration and the BJP to ensure the defeat of the National Conference (NC)“ in the upcoming elections in the Baramulla and Anantnag Lok Sabha seats.

“The visit to Kashmir, where the BJP has not fielded any candidate, was aimed at giving directions to the administration, the BJP and its ‘B’, ‘C’, D’ and ‘E’ teams on how to defeat the NC,” said Mr. Abdullah, who is contesting from the Baramulla seat.

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said he smelt a rat as even the reported security review meeting of Mr. Shah was not held. “Unofficially, the BJP is extending support to new political parties created after the abrogation of Article 370 [in August 2019],” Mr. Abdullah said.

The fresh allegations came a day after Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti accused the Union Home Minister of “threatening Pahari officers to vote for the BJP’s proxies in Kashmir”.

She alleged that Mr. Shah held a meeting with officers belonging to the Pahari communities. “He [Mr. Shah] warned them that the outcome will be troublesome, if they do not support the Peoples Conference in Baramulla and the Apni Party in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat,” Ms. Mufti said.

She also alleged that the BJP’s proxy parties were using “coercion, threats, and financial incentives to influence the election outcomes”.  

Mr. Shah arrived in J&K on May 16 and left on May 17. He met a number of local delegations and the party workers “to chalk out the strategy for upcoming elections, including the Assembly polls” in the Union Territory.