J-K polls: NPP targets Omar for not contesting from Ganderbal

National Panthers Party (NPP) leader Harsh Dev Singh on Saturday alleged that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has decided to contest from two different constituencies in the upcoming assembly polls as the latter has sensed a possible defeat in his family political bastion of Ganderbal.

Predicting a rout for the National Conference in the upcoming assembly polls, he dubbed the Chief Minister's move not to seek re-election from his ancestral constituency of Ganderbal as an act of betrayal.

"This amounts to betrayal also, betrayal of the people of Ganderbal, who have been supporting this family through thick and thin. And not only that, his plan to contest from two constituencies Sonawar and Beerwah that means he is not sure about himself," he added.

The NPP leader also used the occasion to highlight the failures of Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government in the state.

"Now that he has given up the idea of contesting from Ganderbal, that aptly indicates that he has conceded his defeat from Ganderbal, he knows very well that people are annoyed with him, there is a lot of resentment amongst the people of Ganderbal against Mr. Omar Abdullah because of his failure on the developmental front, on governance front and in containing the law and order situation, not only in his constituency but in the entire state and particularly in the Kashmir Valley," he said.

"So, he doesn't want to take any risk, he is trying to play safe, but the fact remains that the people of Kashmir Valley are entirely against Mr. Omar Abdullah for his utter failure on all grounds. And there is no scope for the party in the days to come, which is sure to face a humiliating defeat and will be completely routed out in the coming elections," he added.

Omar has this time decided to contest the Sonawar and Beerwah seats, one in Srinagar district and the other in Badgam district.

"Having decided two years ago that I wouldn't seek re-election from Ganderbal I have continued to work for the constituency and will always do so," Omar said on twitter.

"So when PM candidates do it we take it as a sign of weakness too or are we conspicuously silent at that time?" he added while justifying his decision.

The Election Commission had last month announced five-phase polling in Jammu and Kashmir beginning from November 25.

The elections in the state will take place on November 25, December 2, December 9, December 14 and December 20. The counting of votes will take place on December 23.

The term of the 87-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly expires on January 19 next year.