Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, June 3

Leader of Opposition (LOP) Sunil Sharma on Wednesday described Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s meeting with National Conference (NC) legislators and independent lawmakers as a “floor test”, alleging the ruling party was assessing its strength amid signs of discontent within the alliance.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the Martand Sun Temple during the annual Banmas Mela in south Kashmir, Sharma said the gathering was less a review meeting and more an exercise to count loyal legislators.

“In the middle of the night it occurred to Omar Abdullah that his MLAs are leaving his government. So, in the morning he called a meeting which in reality was not a meeting but a floor test where he counted heads,” Sharma said.

Earlier in the day, Abdullah chaired a meeting of NC legislators and most independent MLAs supporting the government. The chief minister said the deliberations would review the administration’s performance over the past 19 months and assess “the good, the not so good and everything in between.”

The meeting gained political significance amid public criticism by some legislators from the ruling alliance over governance and development issues.

Sharma also mocked Abdullah’s recent remarks hinting at a major political development, saying the gathering at Dachigam did not justify the anticipation created around it.

“Was enjoying a picnic trip and lunch to Dachigam a cloud-burst or bombshell? How childish on his part to make such claims,” Sharma said. “While people of J&K are struggling for roads, water and electricity, our Chief Minister is enjoying with the legislators.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader also targeted the Congress party, questioning its political relevance in Jammu and Kashmir and highlighting the absence of its legislators from the meeting.

“Congress is no party at all. It was given six seats by NC as charity. The six legislators have no standing in the government or Assembly,” Sharma said.

Referring to the Congress’ support for the NC-led government, Sharma alleged the party functioned under the influence of the Abdullah family.

“This is a proxy party of the Abdullah dynasty and any big Congress leader can’t take decisions for the party on their own but take diktats from Gupkar. The orders for Congress are passed from the kitchen of the Abdullahs,” he said.

Commenting on an outreach initiative by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Sharma dismissed political efforts linked to the restoration of Article 370.

Mufti had recently written to political parties seeking a joint outreach to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to initiate a sustained dialogue process on Jammu and Kashmir.

“If Omar Abdullah, the incumbent CM, and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti make it clear that Article 370 can’t return, then it is fine. But if they want to play dual politics by again raking up the issue, then they are daydreaming. Article 370 has been buried forever,” Sharma said.

On the question of statehood, Sharma reiterated the BJP’s position that restoration remained part of the party’s agenda but said its timing would depend on security considerations.

“Statehood will come at an appropriate time. However, statehood won’t come unless and until PM Narendra Modi and HM Amit Shah are fully satisfied that after statehood there will be no law-and-order problems, killings or stone-pelting, and that people walking on roads won’t be targeted with bullets,” he said.

Sharma credited the current security framework for an improvement in the law-and-order situation during the past 19 months and claimed there had been no local recruitment into militancy during the period.

“The biggest achievement is that not a single Kashmiri has joined terrorist ranks in the last one and a half years,” he said.

Drawing comparisons with previous governments led by Abdullah and Mufti, Sharma alleged that civilian deaths and the use of preventive detention laws were higher during their tenures.

“Previously in Omar Abdullah’s and Mehbooba Mufti’s tenures as chief ministers, 110 and 116 people, including children, were killed. PSAs were slapped frequently,” Sharma said.

“Now when they see peace all over, they want to play politics of bloodshed again, but that is not possible now,” he said.