NC meeting a floor test where CM counted heads: LOP

Anantnag, Jun 3:  Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly Sunil Sharma on Wednesday termed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s meeting with National Conference (NC) legislators and independent MLAs a “floor test,” alleging that the ruling party was trying to assess its strength amid growing signs of dissent within the alliance.
Sharma, the BJP MLA from Padder-Nagseni, made the remarks after paying obeisance at the MartandTirath Sun Temple in Mattan, Anantnag, during the ongoing BanmasMela.
“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 told reporters.

Earlier in the day, CM Omar chaired a meeting of NC legislators and most of the independent MLAs in Srinagar.
The CM said the meeting would review the government’s performance over the past 19 months and focus on “the good, the not so good & everything in between.”
The meeting assumed significance as it came amid public criticism by some ruling alliance legislators over governance and developmental issues.
Congress legislators and CPI (M) MLA Muhammad Yusuf Tarigami, whose parties support the NC-led government, were not part of the meeting.
Sharma also took a swipe at CM Omar over recent remarks that fuelled speculation about a major political development.

“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 BJP leader also targeted Congress and questioned its relevance in J&K politics.

“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.
About the absence of Congress leaders from the Srinagar meeting despite the participation of independents, Sharma said the party had little influence in J&K.
“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.
Responding to the PDP President Mehbooba Mufti’s letter to all political parties, Sharma said, “Any political initiative linked to Article 370 was misplaced.”
Mufti in her letter had sought joint outreach to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for initiating a sustained dialogue process on Jammu and Kashmir.

Her appeal followed recent engagement between the Centre and the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance over issues related to Ladakh.
“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 restoration of statehood, Sharma reiterated the BJP’s position that statehood remained part of the party’s agenda but linked its return to the security situation.

“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 said the security situation had improved during the past 19 months.
“If law and order had been under Omar Abdullah’s command during these 19 months, 150 to 200 people would have been killed by now,” Sharma alleged. “If we exclude the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed, not a single incident has taken place in this period where a civilian was killed.”

He also said there had been no local recruitment into terrorism during the past one-and-a-half years.
“The biggest achievement is that not a single Kashmiri has joined terrorist ranks in the last one and a half years. Earlier, in the last 36 years, every year 200, 250 to 300 would take up arms and fight against his own country,” Sharma said.

Drawing a comparison with previous governments led by Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba 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 added.