Pledges to Address Key Issues, Including Statehood, During Budget Session
SUHAIL KHAN
JAMMU, Mar 03: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday firmly rejected any possibility of the National Conference (NC) forming an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
His statement came in response to remarks made by BJP legislator R.S. Pathania, who had hinted at a potential collaboration between the two parties.
Omar, as per Kashmir Despatch, clarified, “There is no discussion about an alliance with the BJP, nor is there any scope or necessity for such a partnership. Our ideologies and priorities do not align, especially when it comes to matters concerning Jammu and Kashmir, where our perspectives are significantly different.”
He further emphasized that all critical issues, including the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, would be addressed during the ongoing budget session of the legislative assembly.
During obituary references on the first day of the Budget Session of the J&K Assembly, the Chief Minister paid tribute to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and four other former legislators who passed away after the last assembly session in November. Abdullah lauded Singh, stating that he had initiated practical measures for the return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits and that his working groups remain relevant to this day.
Abdullah also reflected on the progress made during the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government, noting that India and Pakistan had come closer to resolving the Kashmir issue. However, he expressed skepticism about seeing a similar situation in his lifetime.
The Assembly observed a two-minute silence to honor the memory of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former minister Syed Ghulam Hussain Geelani, former Rajya Sabha MP Shamsher Singh Manhas, and former MLAs Ghulam Hassan Parrey and Choudhary Piara Singh.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
