Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday virtually ruled out any understanding with the BJP post the state assembly elections results, saying it was “inconceivable for him” to even think about any such course of action.
Addressing his last media conference as chief minister, he said: “It is inconceivable for me to ally with the BJP since they have not dissociated themselves from Babri Masjid demolition and a common civil code. I don’t see such a situation to occur.
“As far as I know. There are no lines of communication open between any party with the NC. There is a lot of discrepancy with the exit polls. So let us wait till tomorrow.”
Exit polls had indicated a hung assembly in the state where the five-phase polls ended Dec 20. Counting will be held Tuesday.
Asked to evaluate his government’s performance in the state during the last s ix years on a scale of 1 to 10, Abdullah, also the working president of the National Conference, said: “On a scale of 1 to 10, I would me asure my performance over 6.5 to 7.
“What goes to my credit is the sharp decline in militancy”.
He thanked people for large participation in elections despite the worst floods that hit the state in September.
“People of Srinagar have also shun their reluctance in coming to the polling booths thereby strengthening the institution of democracy.
“I must thank the people of this state who gave me an opportunity to serve them. I did my best to serve the people despite certain unpleasant occasions,” he said.
About his tweet that the United Progressive Alliance should have conferred former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with the Bharat Ratna, the chief minister said, “That has nothing to do with my alliance with the BJP. That is my personal opinion.”
Talking about his decision after the 2008 assembly elections to form an alli ance with the Congress, he said: “There was no alternative for me other than align with the Congress in 2008.
“I have no regrets with that. I have never been unfair with them, not even to the extent of going against them in campaigning although (Congress leader and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi) Azad Sahib was all guns against me during campaigning which is one of his election skills.”
Replying a question about the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s comment that Jammu and Kashmir polls were a cause of concern for Pakistan, he said: “It was not an election for plebiscite but for a better government. This is what Pakistan and separatists want to believe.”
Accepting that mistakes had been made by the NC-Congress coalition during the last six years, he said: “Yes mistakes were made in my government as well. But, they were all collective.”