Party deserters 'opportunists', says Omar

Calling senior party leaders who have deserted his National Conference "dead wood accumulated by his father", Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Saturday said he was happy that they had left.

Sitting legislator and former state chief secretary Sheikh Ghulam Rasool had Thursday deserted the party to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Omar's arch political rival, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

Reports here said senior NC legislator and son of the former regent Karan Singh, Ajatshatru Singh was also joining the Bharatiya Janata Party Sunday.

Reacting first time to these developments on his Twitter account, Abdullah said:"Thank goodness some of this dead wood my father had accumulated is cl earing itself out. My only regret - two wasted MLC seats for 6 years."

In another reaction, he called both the leaders "opportunists" for leaving the party when their term as legislators was nearing its end.

"Never stops amazing me that opportunists like Sh Ghulam Rasool & Ajat only find fault with NC and its leadership when their terms are finishing."