J&K elections: On Farooq Abdullah's PDP alliance ‘hint’, Omar says, 'I really wish…'

Omar Abdullah, NC leader, dismissed alliance talks with PDP as premature. He criticised calls to delay government formation, asserting it would benefit BJP.

National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah dismissed speculation about a possible alliance with the People's Democratic Party (PDP), calling it premature. His comments came after NC president Farooq Abdullah hinted that the party might consider PDP support if needed.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) President Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting vote during the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, in Srinagar, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (PTI Photo/S Irfan)

"They haven't extended support, they haven't offered support and we don't know what the voters have decided yet, so I really wish we could put a lid on all this premature speculation for the next 24 hours," the NC vice president said in a post on X.

Farooq Abdullah on Monday said his party was open to the idea of taking support of Mehbooba Mufti's PDP to form government in the Union territory. "We can be rivals in elections but I have no objections and I am sure Congress will have no objections," he said.

Omar Abdullah attacks Abdul Rashid

Omar Abdullah also criticised Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid's suggestion to delay government formation until statehood is restored in Jammu and Kashmir. He argued that this would only benefit the BJP, which would prefer to extend Central rule in the region.

"The man goes to Delhi for 24 hours and comes back to play straight into the hands of the BJP. The BJP would like nothing more than to extend central rule in J-K if they aren't in a position to form a government," Abdullah said in an another X post..

Rashid had called for non-BJP parties to delay forming a government as a strategy to pressure the Centre into restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir election result tomorrow

The counting of votes for 90 Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir will begin on Tuesday. This will decide the union territory's first elected government since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Key players in the election include the Congress-NC alliance, PDP, and BJP.

Of the 90 seats in the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region, 24 voted in the first phase, 26 in the second and 40 in the third.

The turnout was 63.45 per cent, less than the 65.52 percent recorded in the 2014 assembly elections.