In his first appearance in Ganderbal after deciding not to seek re-election from the constituency, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said he had realised that time had come for the people to have their "own representative".
"For 40 years, my family - my grandfather, my father and me - have been asking for votes for themselves from this constituency and it is for the first time that I am seeking votes from here for anyone other than the family," Omar said while addressing an election rally here.
"I slowly realised that time has come that Ganderbal needs a representative from the area only. That a NC candidate must belong to the area," he said.
Saying that the decision to skip Ganderbal was not an easy one, the Chief Minister asserted that "it was not taken under any compulsion".
"This decision was not an easy one. I did not take this decision under emotions or under any threat or compulsion," he said.
Recalling that the seat was being represented by three generations of his family, he said "for the last three years, I slowly realised that the people of Ganderbal have done so much for my family. You gave us votes and never asked us that when you are from Srinagar, why ask for votes from Ganderbal. We asked you for votes, you gave them".
Omar said even though he was not contesting the elections from the constituency, Ganderbal enjoyed a huge place in his heart.
"I am not contesting elections from Ganderbal, but the huge place that Ganderbal enjoys in my heart will not be in any one else's heart. And wherever I would be, whichever chair I be occupying, I will try my best to take forward the developmental works of Ganderbal," Omar said.
Earlier, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had yesterday taken a dig at Omar's decision not to contest from Ganderbal, saying he has conceded defeat even before a vote has been cast in the Assembly elections.
"Ganderbal has in fact announced the result of entire state by making Omar Abdullah, head of the outgoing government, to run away from here in pursuit of a safe seat," Mehbooba had said addressing a road show in Ganderabal.
