'Kejriwal's candidates will lose security deposit in J&K'

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Saturday if Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party fields candidates from the state for the general elections, they would lose their security deposits.

Answering a question at a media conference in the winter capital Jammu about Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal's allegation about his father and union minister Farooq Abdullah being "a tainted politician", Omar said he would not speak on Kejriwal's list of tainted politicians.

Omar added if Kejriwal wanted to field his candidates from Jammu and Kashmir in the Lok Sabha polls, he was welcome to do so.

"Hum uski zamanat zabt karke wapas bhejenge (We will send them back after they forfeit their security deposit)," he said.

Commenting on media reports about his father's meeting with DMK leader M. Karunanidhi, Omar said he (Karunanidhi) has been a long-time friend of his father and they have worked together.

"It is possible he (Farooq)) might have met him (Karunanidhi) to bring him back to the UPA (United Progressive Alliance)," Omar said.

About the extension of the 73rd constitutional amendment in the Panchayati Raj Act to the state, Omar said he doesn't want to touch the special status of the state, but added that strong panchayati institutions is the mission of his government.

"We are moving forward towards the three-tier Panchayati Raj system and our priority would be to strengthen these institutions as much as we can."

Replying to a question on the deadlock over the cross-LoC trade, the chief minister said a smuggler was arrested and in response to that, confinement of the state's drivers in Pakistan-administered Kashmir defies logic.

"The issue is between the governments of the two countries and negotiations are going on so the matter is resolved," he added.