‘Officially the A team of BJP’, Sajad Lone attacks CM Omar Abdullah, NC

Srinagar: Peoples Conference (PC) chief and J&K MLA, Sajad Gani Lone, on Thursday, said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah won the 2024 Assembly elections by branding opponents as ‘BJP agents’ but has been acting like the ‘A team’ of the party after assuming his office as the CM.

Sajad Lone wrote on X, “I can’t believe it. Isn’t it the same CM sahib who won an entire election by branding everybody as an agent of BJP. Those pejoratives he used. Taking the knee could have been accomplished in less humiliating manner. This is a lesson for all those Kashmiris who walked into the trap of believing that the NC would fight the BJP. It was all along a fixed match.”

He further said, “Isn’t it the same CM berating the LG on a daily basis. Hasn’t the same PM sent the LG. Not a word on that. Fixed match. All the histrionics is for Kashmir. Officially begging to join. Officially the A team of BJP.”

Sajad, in his comment, has taken exception to the fact that Omar Abdullah has been ‘berating the Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, without using a word against the Prime Minister, who appointed Sinha as the Lt Governor.

CM Omar Abdullah and his cabinet colleagues have been constantly saying that the real power in Jammu and Kashmir lies with the Lt Governor.

The L-G has repeatedly said that, except for law and order and transfers of IAS/IPS officers, all other subjects of governance are under the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues.

“I know my limits, and I will never cross the line,” the Lt Governor has said.

The latest ‘tug of war’ between Omar Abdullah and the Lok Bhawan in the union territory was on the issue of age relaxation of aspirants appearing for the J&K Administrative Service (JKAS) exams.

The chief minister said the file had been sent to the L-G for confirmation of age relaxation to the JKAS aspirants and that the file was pending with the Lok Bhawan.

L-G Manoj Sinha said on X that the file was received by him on December 2 and had been returned the same day with the query as to how the JKAS exam logistics could be worked out in such a short period of time when the J&K Public Service Commission was conducting the competitive exam on December 7.

Omar Abdullah later wrote to the public service commission chairman to postpone the exam for a reasonable period to sort out the issue, but the chairman decided to go ahead with the examination on December 7, as there was no formal clarity on the age relaxation issue.

IANS