J-K assembly polls: ’Deviating people,’ says BJP slamming NC’s pre-poll promise on Indo-Pak dialogue

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed the National Conference (NC) after the promised encouraging dialogue between India and Pakistan in its manifesto for upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

NC vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah released the party manifesto comprising 12 guarantees during an event at a hotel in Srinagar on August 19. The three-phase elections for 90-member Jammu and Kashmir assembly begin on September 18.

BJP leader and former deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Kavinder Gupta slammed NC for favoured for dialogue between India and Pakistan. Gupta accused the party of misguiding the people.

"Even today, they are deviating people. That's the way they exploited people and spread nepotism and terrorism. To hold talks with Pakistan is also not their prerogative .People of J&K now understand more about security, unity and integrity and they will not go for the politics of freebies," Gupta was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The NC manifesto mentions ‘encouraging dialogue between India and Pakistan,’

"We said we will encourage it (Dialogue between India-Pakistan)...We have always been in favour of dialogue, and in future also we will remain in favour...As a responsible party, and being in government we will do everything in our power to encourage that dialogue...What is wrong in encouraging a dialogue," Abdullah said at the manifesto release event.

Jammu and Kashmir is all set to hold its first Assembly elections in a decade to elect a government after over six years of Central rule.

Voting will be held in three phases with first round on September 18. The next two phases will be held on September 25 and October 1. The results will be announced on October 4.

Gupta also accused Farooq Abdullah-led party of misguiding the people and highlighted the security and unity witnessed in Kashmir since the Abrogation of Article 370. "The things that they have said, nothing is in their hand. How will they - release the prisoners, and restore Article 370?" he asked.

The NC manifesto said that the party will ‘strive to restore 370-35A, and statehood as prior to August 5 2019,' and ‘will prioritise the release of political prisoners and youth who have been unjustly detained in jails.’

(With ANI inputs)