'BJP will not form govt with NC': J&K LoP

Jammu, Oct 21 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma said on Tuesday that the BJP will not form a government with the National Conference (NC) under any circumstances.

Sharma was reacting to a recent statement made by J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in which he said that the BJP is ‘punishing the people of J&K by delaying statehood because they are not in power here’.

The Chief Minister had also said that he would rather give up power than form the government with the BJP under any pressure.

Countering the Chief Minister’s statement, Sunil Sharma told reporters, “We will not form a government with the National Conference under any circumstances. We are not going to form a government on any condition.”

The LoP said that the claims made by the Chief Minister are completely baseless and are intended only to mislead the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

The BJP leader added that the party is fully confident that, whether it is the Rajya Sabha elections, by-elections in Jammu and Kashmir, or the Bihar elections, the party is completely prepared for every contest.

“We have full faith in our people. Whether it is Bihar, Budgam, or Nagrota, the BJP will win,” he claimed.

He said that the Chief Minister also said that the BJP will indulge in horse-trading for the Rajya Sabha elections, but there is no truth to it.

“The Chief Minister is making hollow claims and merely trying to mislead the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he claimed.

Elections for four Rajya Sabha seats are scheduled on October 24 in J&K, and the members of the legislative assembly are to vote in this election.

As per the distribution of votes for these seats, the NC has an edge over the BJP on three seats, while the BJP has an edge on the fourth seat.

NC nominated four candidates for all four seats after the Congress declined the NC offer to field a Congress candidate for the 4th Rajya Sabha seat.

Congress wanted ‘safe’ seats for itself. After the NC refused to oblige, Congress decided not to field its candidate for these seats.

Two seats of the assembly, Nagrota in Jammu and Budgam in the Valley, are going to bypoll on November 11.

NC had offered Nagrota seat to Congress, but the offer was declined.

--IANS

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