No chance of hung assembly, Omar exudes confidence after Shikara rally at Dal Lake

With the second phase of elections nearing, Kashmir valley on Sunday witnessed novel campaigns from big wigs including Omar Abdullah, who held a Shikara rally over the Dal Lake and rejected any chance of a hung assembly. The former CM is contesting from two seats that go to polls on September 25.
Amid the blue hues and vast Dal waters, Omar, the National Conference (NC) vice-president, along with his party leaders and supporters climbed a Shikara and held his party’s flag as he campaigned for the party’s Zadibal candidate Tanvir Sadiq.
Dozens of Shikaras or pleasure boats, with vibrant colours, comfy cushions and slanting roofs providing a pleasing experience to the travellers, accompanied Omar making it a spectacle.
Speaking on the occasion, Omar said, “Such lakes and beauty are very rare in nature. We are fortunate that we are living in such beauty. But there is also pain and difficulties in such a beautiful place. The campaign highlights the beauty, alright, but the pain in the hearts of people for the past 10 years, that won’t reflect in today’s rally but will certainly through votes.”
Abdullah, who is fighting from Ganderbal and Budgam constituencies himself, said that there was no chance of a hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir as was being predicted by some people.
“We don’t know what has been cast into the (voting) machines but what we are learning from people is that there is no chance of hung elections,” he said.
Abdullah said the NC and Congress fought elections together as an alliance to ensure a strong and stable government. “If we wanted, we could have formed a post-poll alliance. But we wanted to give people an option to avoid hung elections in future or any suspicion in government formation,” he said.
The NC-Congress has formed a pre-poll seat-sharing arrangement for the assembly elections. The regional party is contesting on 50 seats, leaving 32 for its partner Congress and one each for smaller allies, the CPI (M) and the Panthers Party.
Abdullah said the BJP would love a hung assembly, adding, “They would want a reason to extend the governor’s rule here but the J & K people won’t allow that.”
The former CM said polling in the first phase was not as enthusiastic as they expected. “There are areas where there was less voting than in 2014. Let’s take the example of Noorabad (DH Pora), in 2014 there was 80% voting and this time it has declined by 20%,” he said.
“The current government should think over this as they say today everything is fine, there is no boycott or any fear and still why the turnout in some areas was less than 2014. We are still thankful to people for coming out to vote,” he said.
Around 61% voters cast their choice in the first phase of polling to 24 constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18.
Abdullah said he wanted Rahul Gandhi to make 3-4 visits owing to the rigorous campaign and visits of star BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh. “Rahul should give more strength to its cadre in areas where Congress is fighting the BJP in Jammu,” he said.
Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti and NC president Farooq Abdullah also held rallies and campaigned for their party’s respective candidates in Hazratbal constituency.
The second phase of polling to 26 constituencies including 15 constituencies in Kashmir will be held on September 25.