Srinagar, Nov 19 (UNI) Alleging that non-BJP candidates contesting District Development Council (DDC) elections are being stopped from campaigning, two former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti questioned whether this was the safe and terror-free J&K the Union Home Minister has tweeted.
National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah alleged that administration in J&K was going all out of its way to help the BJP and its recently created King’s party by locking up candidates opposed to saffron party by using security as an excuse.
President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba alleged while the BJP candidates are given security, cars and allowed to move freely, other candidates are not allowed to campaign freely and are being locked up on the pretence of security.
Taking to micro-blogging site twitter, Omar said in a series of tweets “ What sort of elections are being held in J&K where candidates are being stopped from campaigning? Is this the safe, terror free J&K the Home Minister was tweeting about yesterday?”.
“The J&K administration is going out of its way to help the BJP & it’s recently created king’s party by locking up candidates opposed to the BJP, using security as an excuse. If the security situation isn’t conducive to campaigning what was the need to announce elections?”, he said.
He further alleged that “Senior officials in the admin argued that only those seeking protection were being housed in secure designated spaces. The candidates said they were being confined to these spaces against their wishes & this had severely restricted ability to campaign.”
Omar also re-tweeted a tweet of former minister and senior NC leader Nasir Aslam Wani which reads “ BJP and the kings party candidates and their junior level workers are provided personal security while as all others are hounded to far away Govt. accommodation. Is this the ‘New Mantra’of providing a level playing field or is it to influence this election”.
Mehbooba in a tweet alleged that “ Non BJP candidates for DDC polls aren’t allowed to campaign freely & are being locked up on the pretence of security. But Yet again, any person who fills nomination papers is sent to EDI, School buildings converted into make shift jails where horse trading starts to cancel their nomination or join hands with BJP. While the BJP candidates are given security, cars & allowed to move freely! Proof. Is this the democracy that GOI claimed its promoting in yesterday’s phone convo with US Pres elect? “.
They also retweeted a tweet which reads “Yet again, any person who fills nomination papers is sent to EDI, School buildings converted into make shift jails where horse trading starts to cancel their nomination or join hands with BJP. While the BJP candidates are given security, cars & allowed to move freely! Proof”.
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