If Article 370 Goes, India-kashmir Relationship Becomes Just A Military One

NATIONAL CONFERENCE VICE president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah is touring Kashmir to shore up support for party candidates.

- Tariq Bhat

The main focus of his campaign is the BJP’s challenge to Article 370, which gives autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, and Article 35A, which allows the assembly to define permanent residents of the state.

With an eye on the assembly polls, which are expected to be held later this year, Omar has promised to work towards restoring autonomy and the post of prime minister of the state. Excerpts from an exclusive interview:

The Peoples Democratic Party has fielded a weak candidate in Srinagar, where NC president Farooq Abdullah is contesting. NC has fielded retired judge Hasnain Masoodi against state Congress president Ghulam Ahmad Mir in Anantnag, which is likely to benefit the PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti. What is going on between PDP and NC?

We are not alliance partners. We have made that very clear. We have chosen not to field candidates in Udhampur and Jammu for the same reason as the PDP’s—we did not want anti-BJP votes to get divided. We are fighting against the Congress in Srinagar and Anantnag, and we will fight against it in Leh-Kargil (Ladakh) seat. The Congress has chosen not to put up a candidate in Srinagar because of doctorsahab’s (Farooq Abdullah) seniority. But we are not partners.

Why don’t you and the PDP join forces if you really mean business on Article 370 and Article 35A?