States » NorthPosted at: Oct 22 2026 4:03PM


NC fears electoral defeat , delaying Panchayat polls in J&K: Sunil Sharma

Srinagar, Oct 22 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma on Thursday accused the National Conference (NC) government of deliberately delaying panchayat and municipal elections for fear of electoral defeat, alleging that the ruling party does not want other parties to gain representation at the grassroots level.
Sharma said the local body elections would serve as a litmus test for the Omar Abdullah-led government, which he accused of failing to fulfil its promises on electricity, LPG cylinders, jobs and ration.
“The Abdullah family’s arrogance and ‘dadagiri’ have prevented panchayat elections from being held in Jammu and Kashmir. Even the Chief Minister spoke in Assembly that they will not do it. His father Farooq Abdullah sahib has also said two or three times that panchayat elections would not be held,” Sharma told media persons on the sidelines of a farewell function organised by the BJP Jammu and Kashmir unit in honour of former General Secretary (Organisation) Ashok Koul.
“The National Conference does not want anyone else to represent the people here. They know they will fall flat on their face. They fear that people will hold them accountable for the deception they have practised on the public,”
When asked about the announcement of holding of panchayat elections in Ladakh, Sharma questioned why similar elections had not been held in Jammu and Kashmir.
“This will be a litmus test for this government. The government that has deceived people in the name of electricity, cylinders, jobs and ration must be tested through Panchayati Raj and municipal elections, just as elections are being held in Ladakh,” he said.
Commenting on the union Home Minister’s assertion that militancy in Kashmir had ended, Sharma said there had been a significant decline in terrorism over the past five years.
“There is no doubt that militancy and terrorism have declined in the last five years,” he said, crediting the union government, particularly the union Home Ministry, with efforts to prevent local youth from joining militant organisations.
“Not a single Kashmiri youth has joined into any terrorist organisation in the last two years. This is a very big indication of the end of militancy,” Sharma said.
He also claimed that foreign terrorists were being eliminated in Kashmir and that the network of overground workers (OGWs) had declined considerably.
Sharma, however, acknowledged that achieving complete peace would take more time, saying Kashmir is moving towards peace after decades of militancy.
Asked whether cases against protesters in Kashmir could also be withdrawn, as had been done in Ladakh, Sharma rejected what he described as an attempt to equate detainees accused of militancy-related activities with protesters in Ladakh.
He alleged that some people currently in jail had been booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) during previous PDP and NC governments.
“Those who are in jail today, against whom cases were registered and PSA was invoked during the PDP and NC governments, are being called political prisoners and compared with the Ladakh protesters. This is their misunderstanding,” he said.
Sharma maintained that the BJP would support justice for those it considered innocent but argued that individuals accused of violence against India could not be treated in the same manner.
“If someone is innocent, the BJP will be the first to ensure justice for him. But a person who has fired a bullet and fought against India cannot be called innocent,” he said.
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Tags: #NC fears electoral defeat # delaying Panchayat polls in J&K: Sunil Sharma
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