Will resign rather than ally with BJP for statehood restoration: J&K CM

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said he would rather resign than enter into an alliance with the BJP to hasten statehood for the Union Territory.

Speaking at an event in Achabal area of Anantnag district, Abdullah said he was not ready to make any political compromise for statehood.

“If you (people) are ready, then tell me, because I am not ready to make that trade. If it is needed to include the BJP in the government, then accept my resignation. Make any MLA here the chief minister and form the government with the BJP, I am not ready for that,” he said.

Abdullah said had he included the BJP in the government, the statehood might have been restored sooner.

“Should we have included the BJP in the government? There was a possibility that by including the BJP in the government, we could have got a gift. They would have granted statehood to us sooner,” he said.

Referring to the PDP-BJP alliance in 2015, the CM said then also the government could have been formed in J-K without the inclusion of the BJP.

“The Congress and National Conference (NC) were ready. The BJP could have been left out of the government. But the excuse of giving representation to the BJP was made,” Abdullah, who is also the vice president of the NC, said.

He said his government gave representation to Jammu without including the BJP in it.

“We gave representation to Pir Panjal, to the lower areas of Jammu. Today, the deputy CM is from Jammu, without the BJP’s inclusion,” he added.

Abdullah said he would continue to struggle for the restoration of statehood, but would do that peacefully and democratically.