Omar Abdullah mulls legal move for J&K statehood, rules out BJP tie-up

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he is considering becoming a party to the Supreme Court case seeking restoration of statehood, while ruling out any alliance with the BJP

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said he is considering joining the Supreme Court petitions that seek the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory, arguing that no one understands the disadvantages of being downgraded to a UT “better than someone governing it". He also made it clear that his party, National Conference, will not ally with the BJP, calling such a tie-up “out of the question".

 

“I have had conversations with very senior lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi about the possibility of becoming a party to this case, as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, because I don’t think anybody else understands the disadvantages that we are put through by being a Union Territory more than I do,” the CM said during a press conference in Srinagar, as quoted by The Indian Express.

 

He said the matter was being “actively discussed” with his legal team. “There is a possibility that I will make myself a party to this case as CM,” he added.

 

Supreme Court hearing on statehood petitions

 

The case was last heard on October 10 by a Bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, which gave the Centre four weeks to respond. The petitions were filed by Zahoor Ahmed Bhat and Khurshid Ahmad Malik, who argued that the delay in restoring statehood violated the principle of federalism, a part of the Constitution’s basic structure.

 

Omar Abdullah said he is uniquely positioned to support the plea. “I am the only person in the entire country with this experience of having been chief minister of J&K as a state and now as CM of a UT,” he said.

 

Asked if he has any hopes with the Supreme Court on the restoration of statehood, the CM said, "We should have hopes. But it is also true that somewhere Pahalgam is being linked to the restoration of statehood. The people of Jammu and Kashmir do not support it. No one involved in the attack was from Jammu and Kashmir."

 

‘BJP alliance out of the question’

 

The chief minister also ruled out any possibility of allying with the BJP for the restoration of statehood. “Tying up with the BJP or allying with them is out of the question. We have already seen how much that has destroyed J&K. An unnecessary alliance between the PDP and the BJP in 2015; we are still suffering the aftereffects of that,” he said.

 

“The BJP, in its manifesto or in its promises to Parliament and the Supreme Court, never said that statehood is dependent on the BJP coming to power in Jammu and Kashmir. If that is the case, the BJP should be honest,” he added.

 

Manifesto, PSA and governance issues

 

Omar Abdullah reiterated that the National Conference would remove the Public Safety Act (PSA) once statehood is restored. “Security, law and order should be under the control of the elected government. The day these things are ours, we will remove the PSA through an ordinance,” he said.

 

The chief minister also flagged governance challenges under the UT structure, citing the delay in approving the appointment of the advocate general, which he described as “not good for the government".

 

Tourism and Ladakh unrest

 

On tourism, Omar said reopening major sites such as Doodhpathri and Gulmarg was crucial to revive livelihoods. “During peak militancy, these places were not closed. It’s time to show courage and open them again,” he said.

 

He also called the unrest in Ladakh “extremely unfortunate” and urged the Centre to fulfil its promises, including Sixth Schedule protection.

 

With bypolls approaching, Omar Abdullah confirmed that the National Conference would contest Budgam and has offered the Nagrota seat to its ally, the Congress, which is awaiting approval from its high command.

 

(With inputs from agencies)