Swapped Fast Bowling For Spin! Omar Abdullah Rebuff's BJP Ties
Omar Abdullah Rebuffs BJP Ties, Signals Tactical Shift in J&K Assembly
Amid whispers of a cozying up to the BJP, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah firmly dismissed the notion in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, asserting he’s not one to switch games midstream—just tactics.
Winding up a debate on departmental grants, Abdullah used a cricket metaphor to underline his resolve. “I’m still in the white uniform, but I’ve swapped fast bowling for spin to suit the pitch,” he said, confident of leading his National Conference to victory by term’s end in 2029.
The speech, laced with Kashmiri poetry—“Winter will fade, snow will melt, spring will return”—targeted the opposition BJP’s fixation on the 2019 abrogation of Article 370.
Responding to Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma’s praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “equality” push, Abdullah challenged the claim. “Is this assembly truly equal to others? Hand on heart, tell us,” he pressed, accusing the BJP of undermining Maharaja Hari Singh’s legacy by altering state laws the Dogra king crafted to shield Jammu from outside investors.
Abdullah didn’t mince words, refuting BJP allegations of insulting the Maharaja. “You changed the Ranbir Penal Code to ‘Bharat’—who’s the real offender?” he shot back, pointing to eased investment rules that he warned threaten Jammu more than Kashmir.
Unfazed by interruptions, he vowed to face tough questions head-on, contrasting his openness with the opposition’s scripted attacks. “We don’t demand questionnaires for interviews,” he quipped, signaling a governance style rooted in adaptability—not capitulation—as he navigates J&K’s complex political terrain.
