- Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah denied BJP claims of defections in JKNC
- Abdullah ruled out any Eknath Shinde-like rebellion within the National Conference
- Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma alleged JKNC faces internal crisis and dissent
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that the BJP's claims of possible defections in the J&K National Conference (JKNC) are exposing their intentions. In a jibe by by the now Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister that led to the split of Shiv Sena, he said there will be "no Eknath Shindes" in his party.
Responding to a statement by Sunil Sharma, Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly, Abdullah said that JKNC MLAs are firmly with the party and no MLA will rebel and join the BJP.
"It tells you about the BJP's intentions. Eknath Shinde left the party because BJP helped him do so. It appears the Leader of Oppositon (Sharma) is very eager to capture the Chief Minister's chair in J&K. I must tell him there is no Eknath Shinde in the National Conference," he added.
Sharma had claimed that the JKNC was going through an internal crisis and there are several "Eknath Shindes"
ready to break away.
He had added that the Chief Minister is not able to expand his Cabinet because he fearing dissent within the party. He said the JKNC will "collapse like a pack of cards" once Abdullah expands his Cabinet.
Abdullah dismissed the speculation of an internal rift and linked the delay in Cabinet expansion to the restoration of statehood. "The expansion of the Cabinet could not happen because we have not been given the status of a state," he said.
He said that people will not forgive BJP for denying statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. "It is clear from the statement of LoP that the Centre may not restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir unless the BJP forms the government here," he said.
Following a war of words with the JKNC over cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha elections, People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Wahid U Rehman Parra had said that the ruling party may implode. "If the NC were to implode tomorrow and Omar Abdullah finds himself needing the support of PDP's four MLAs to stay afloat, he will face an awkward moment - having to turn to the very legislators and Mehbooba Mufti, whom he hasn't stopped bad-mouthing ever since he assumed office," he wrote in a social media post.
