Playing straight into BJP's hands: Omar Abdullah slams Engineer Rashid

Omar Abdullah called out Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid's call to boycott government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, accusing him of playing into the hands of the BJP.

In Short

• Omar Abdullah criticises Engineer Rashid's call to boycott government formation
• Rashid urges parties to unite for Jammu and Kashmir's statehood restoration
• Abdullah accuses Rashid of aiding BJP's agenda.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has slammed Awami Ittehad Party chief Sheikh Abdul Rashid for calling for a boycott of the formation of government unless Jammu and Kashmir's statehood is restored.

At a press briefing on Monday, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, said irrespective of the results of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election, the Union Territory's control will lie with Delhi.

"The elected government will have very few rights... The so-called regional parties of Jammu and Kashmir (Gupkar alliance) didn't do anything for five years. I urge the INDIA bloc, PDP, Apni Party and other parties to unite and not form the government till we achieve statehood," Rashid said.

"Even if a single party or alliance achieves a majority, it will be good if all the parties put pressure on the Union government to restore statehood... Awami Ittehad Party is also ready to cooperate with the parties on this matter," he added.

Reacting to Engineer Rashid's remark, Omar Abdullah said the Baramulla MP is playing straight into the hands of the BJP.

"The man goes to Delhi for 24 hours and comes back to play straight into the hands of the BJP. The BJP would like nothing more than to extend central rule in J&K if they aren’t in a position to form a government," Abdullah said in a tweet.

Notably, Engineer Rashid defeated Abdullah in Baramulla constituency in the Lok Sabha elections this year.

The Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir took place after 10 years and the first time since the abrogation of Article 370, which downgraded its status to a Union Territory. The restoration of Article 370 and full-statehood for Jammu and Kashmir has been an emotive issue in the Assembly polls, with the Congress and all regional political parties using it as their poll pitch.

The National Conference is contesting the polls in alliance with the Congress, while the BJP and Mehbooba Mufti's People's Democratic Party (PDP) decided to go solo for the election.

Engineer Rashid, whose Awami Ittehad Party contested the polls in alliance with former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, was released on interim bail from Delhi's Tihar Jail ahead of the election. He is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with a 2017 terror funding case.

As per India Today-CVoter exit poll, the Congress-National Conference alliance is projected to win 40-48 out of 90 Assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP is likely to win 27-32 seats and Mehbooba Mufti-led People's Democratic Party (PDP) may get 6-12 seats. Other parties and Independent candidates could win 6-11 seats.