Srinagar, Nov 26: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Wednesday alleged that the BJP “helped the People’s Democratic Party secure a win” in the recently held Budgam bypoll.
“Do you think the BJP had no role to play in PDP’s success? Did the BJP not field the proxy candidates? It was all manipulated,” he told reporters here.
The ruling National Conference (NC) lost the bypoll to the PDP by over 4,000 votes.
The poll was necessitated after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated the seat following his election from the family bastion of Ganderbal as well in last year’s assembly polls.
The result of the bypoll was declared on November 14.
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Choudhary added, “But we are proud that the people stood by the NC candidate. The whole [BJP-led central] government was working to ensure PDP’s win.”
The deputy chief minister said People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti had met Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha before the election, and “we got to see in Budgam that she must have discussed with the LG the ways to defeat the NC”.
“Let them celebrate for a few days. Budgam has always supported the NC and will do so in the future. There were some misunderstandings, and those will be resolved,” he added, apparently referring to the differences with the party’s Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, Ruhullah Mehdi.
The MP has had a strained relationship with the party leadership over several issues, including reservation.
Mehdi, who has represented Budgam, a Shia-dominated seat, in the assembly thrice before, didn’t campaign for the party candidate in the bypoll and stayed away from the election.
Choudhary further told reporters that the Omar Abdullah-led government is promise-bound to work for the welfare of the people.
“We will fulfill all the commitments made in our manifesto. I only appeal to the people that they do not fall for rumour-mongering. It is a conspiracy to create a gap between the people and the NC,” he said.
On the issue of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) admissions, the deputy CM said people should desist from communalising education.
“The beauty of India lies in its unity in diversity. Jammu and Kashmir has always been known for brotherhood and communal harmony. I only want to tell those people who want to communalise education, that please spare it,” he said.
Earlier, a delegation of BJP legislators called on Sinha and sought the revocation of the first admission list issued by the SMVDIME in the Reasi district.
The delegation, led by the Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Sunil Sharma, questioned the selection list, alleging that a majority of the admitted students belonged to one community.
They urged the administration to ensure that students “having faith in the deity” be considered for admission.
