J&K People's Conference leader Sajad Lone said the BJP would have faced public rebuff for scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir if it had contested the polls in the Valley.
Sajad Lone, who has been accused of being BJP's “team B” in the Valley, denied any association with the party and accused Omar Abdullah of helping BJP by creating a false narrative.
Mr Lone said the Assembly elections were the first test of the “moral acceptance or rejection” of the BJP's decision on Article 370 and they chose not to field any candidate to avoid defeat.
“A year ago, I felt that the BJP will not field candidates for the assembly elections in Kashmir as it is the first election after the abrogation of Article 370,” Mr Lone said.
“Everyone knew they wouldn't field candidates because if they only got one percent of the votes, that would have been a moral rejection. So they made a smart move not to field candidates,” said Sajad Lone.
Mr Lone said the BJP is a peripheral party in Kashmir and blamed Omar Abdullah for helping the BJP, as did several other Muslim leaders in the country.
“There are several Muslim leaders in the country who work for the BJP, Omar Abdullah has also been hired by the BJP and he calls every opponent of the National Conference as B-team of the BJP in Kashmir,” he said.
The BJP, meanwhile, said it is the “kingmaker” and without their support, no one can win the Assembly elections in the Valley.
“We are the kingmakers. We have the support of people in every part of the Valley and without our support, no party can win these elections,” said Ravindra Raina, J&K president of the BJP.
Top leaders of the BJP, including Home Minister Amit Shah, have appealed to the people of Kashmir to vote for any candidate who fights against the National Conference and the PDP.
Mr Lone, who is contesting from the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat against Omar Abdullah, has sought an apology from the National Conference leader for leveling 'false' allegations against him over his links with the BJP.
Mr Abdullah had accused Sajad Lone of publicly accepting that he is part of the BJP.
“If Omar Abdullah is true in his claim that I have declared that I am part of the BJP, then let him show the clip. I am prepared to make a public apology. And if this is not true, then he should apologize,” said Mr. Lonely