Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday appealed to non-BJP parties to vote for the National Conference candidates in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha polls, saying abstaining from the polls would benefit the BJP.
Biennial elections to fill the four RS seats in Jammu and Kashmir, lying vacant since 2021, will be held on October 24. “I appeal to political parties not to stay away from the elections and prove that they are against the BJP because there are only two parties contesting the polls -- BJP and National Conference,” Abdullah told reporters in Baramulla district.
The CM said the National Conference candidates earlier in the day appealed to PDP, AIP and People’s Conference to vote for them in the elections.
Asked about People’s Conference president Sajad Gani Lone announcing abstention from polls, Abdullah suggested it will benefit the BJP.
“What are his (Lone) compulsions only he would know. But we will need everyone’s support to ensure that National Conference wins all the seats and BJP wins none”.
Responding to Lone’s charge that National Conference was helping BJP win one seat, Abdullah dismissed the allegation saying why would his party field a candidate for the fourth seat if that was the case.