Omar Abdullah Calls for Respecting People’s Mandate Amid Election Counting in J&K

Omar Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, called for respect for the people’s mandate during the assembly elections and warned against any attempts to manipulate the results. Speaking to reporters shortly after counting began, Abdullah, representing the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC), noted that his party is currently leading in 46 seats, surpassing the halfway mark required to form the government.

“There should be transparency. If the people’s mandate is against the BJP, they shouldn’t resort to any tricks,” he stated. Abdullah emphasized that the election outcome would be clearer by the afternoon and should be honored by all political parties.

Expressing optimism about the election results, Abdullah said, “We hope to win. The decision rests with the voters of Jammu and Kashmir, and we will know their choice by this afternoon.” He also cautioned the BJP against engaging in any “jugaad” (manipulations) to alter the outcome.

Omar Abdullah is contesting from two constituencies, Ganderbal and Budgam, and early trends indicate he is leading in both. Ganderbal has traditionally been a stronghold for the National Conference, with three generations of the Abdullah family having represented the constituency. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah won the seat in 1977, followed by his son Farooq Abdullah in subsequent elections. Omar Abdullah himself was elected from Ganderbal in 2008 after starting his political journey in 1998, representing the Srinagar constituency in the Lok Sabha.

He expressed hope that the alliance between his party and Congress would yield positive results. “We are hopeful for victory, but ultimately, it’s in the hands of God. We should know by noon what decision the people of J-K have made,” he added.