NC banks on public support: Omar

Attributing his party's birth and existence to the public, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the agenda of National Conference (NC) was holistic, inclusive and youth-centric.
"We are not the baby of any agency, nor the creation of any outside sponsor. We owe our existence and power to common masses of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and we only bank upon public support," Omar Abdullah said, addressing rallies at Ukhral, Khari and Neel in Banihal Assembly constituency in favour of its candidate Sajjad Shaheen.
Reminding people of great sacrifices of NC and its stalwarts to safeguard the interests of the state and to ensure empowerment of people, Omar, who is also NC working president, said that NC's birth in the state has been as a public movement rather than a party, and its political agenda is holistic, inclusive and youth-centric.

He noted that old enemies of NC along with their associates have gathered in new form under one umbrella to break NC's public base by resorting to falsehood and baseless propaganda, and appealed to the voters to "teach them a lesson once again as you did in 1977".
He hinted at the formation of PDP by Jagmohan and others to damage the local base of National Conference and added that PDP has become a new camping ground for all those elements who bear acrimony against NC to harm it.
"They have no agenda for public good or the betterment of the state. They have joined hands only to put hurdles in the forward movement of National Conference to seek permanent peace and youth welfare in the state," he said.

Omar said these elements have neither in the past deterred National Conference nor at present will be able to do so as people fully recognise them as a spent force by various sponsors in the political fields during different periods.
He mentioned measures taken by his government to empower people and make them partners in decision making and implementation of development and welfare schemes while seeking votes for his party candidate.