If government formation is delayed for 10 days...: Engineer Rashid jabs Omar Abdullah

Engineer Rashid, accused National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah of changing his stance while citing his earlier statement that he would not contest elections in Jammu and Kashmir unless statehood was restored.

In Short

• Engineer Rashid accuses Omar Abdullah of being power hungry
• Calls J&K parties to unite for statehood restoration
• Denies being released from jail to favour BJP in Assembly polls

Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, on Tuesday accused National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah of being "power hungry" and said the Jammu and Kashmir parties should unite for restoration of statehood. Engineer Rashid's comments came in response to Omar Abdullah who slammed the Baramulla MP's call to boycott government formation in Jammu and Kashmir and accused him of playing into the hands of the BJP.

"If they get majority and the government formation is delayed for 10 days, 1 week or 2 weeks... If we were united, then ask the Modi government not to humiliate us and give statehood to us. It is obvious that Omar saab is so power hungry. He wants that 'lal batti', police, and central vigilance in his control," he told India Today TV in an exclusive interview.

Engineer Rashid walked out of Delhi's Tihar Jail on September 11 after he was behind bars in a terror funding case since 2019. Asked whether he was released to divide votes to favour the BJP, Engineer Rashid denied such an allegation.

"I don't think so. They (NC) made the battle personal with me. They never thought that common man would rise to this level. I had no resources to fight. I did not have enough time to campaign. I never predicted vote share in my life. I will respect the people's verdict. I will fight, lie and die for them," he said.

Asked whether he would support the NC-Congress alliance, Engineer Rashid said, "I am an MP. We are an independent party. Let us wait how many seats we will get." But, he decried a secular government formation and accused the PDP and NC as "power hungry people".

"There is no secular or communal alliance. They are all power-hungry people. What will Omar Abdullah do? What will Mehbooba (Mufti) do? The system is the same, people are the same, and their ambitions are the same. Unless those people who are sincere, who want a 'Naya Kashmir', not Modi's Kashmir or Sheikh Abdullah's Kashmir," he said.

He also said that change would be possible in Jammu and Kashmir only if people can find themselves accommodated and live in peace and dignity.

Taking on Omar Abdullah, Engineer Rashid accused him of changing his stance while citing his earlier statement that he would not contest elections unless statehood was restored for Jammu and Kashmir.

He said he had supported Omar Abdullah's stance earlier but asserted that "he was walking in the footsteps of his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah" and accused him of changing colours.

"This was the same Omar saab who said he would never contest elections unless total statehood is restored. Then he said the Assembly would be as powerful as a municipality. But he is changing his stance now. He is changing colours. He is walking in the footsteps of his grandfather," Engineer Rashid said.

Counting of votes is underway with the NC-Congress alliance leading on 47 seats, while the BJP is ahead on 28, according to Election Commission trends.