Faizan Wani
Srinagar, Aug 31: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah Tuesday claimed that his party will sweep assembly elections in J&K if polls are held in a transparent manner and that NC will form the next government.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at SKICC here, Dr Farooq while replying to a query about whether NC was preparing for the upcoming Assembly polls, said: “We will sweep and win elections, if polls are held in a transparent manner….you see…I am saying this with authority as NC is the biggest party in J&K.”
The NC chief said that Covid pandemic has hit development as well as employment opportunities in J&K. “You can see for yourself whether the situation has improved post Article 370 or deteriorated. I won’t talk about it much. If I say anything, they (BJP) would say I being in opposition has started targeting them. So let people judge themselves what has changed and what has not,” he said.
Replying to a query about bureaucrats, the NC chief said that officers in the administration were behaving like “kings” and that they will be made accountable and answerable before the people.
On Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan, he said there will surely be an effect of the development taking place in Afghanistan. “Our neighbouring countries are in distress. I don’t know which country will face more impact of the Taliban take over. We have Pakistan, China, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Russia as our neighbor. Who knows whether the US would face more impact from Taliban take over. I can’t say, but yes, there will surely be an impact of the Afghan situation on the world,” Dr Farooq said.
About Sarpanchs security in Kashmir, he said Sarpanchs and Panchs besides other leaders are facing life threats as recently many of them belonging to BJP and one of them who was affiliated with the Apni Party were killed. “There has to be some security for them. BJP lost eight leaders in recent attacks,” the NC chief said.
