Surinder Sharma
Srinagar: A sharp exchange took place in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday between Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and BJP MLA R.S. Pathania over the timing of the upcoming panchayat elections.
BJP legislator R.S. Pathania questioned the government about its intention to hold panchayat elections and sought clarity on the expected timeline. Responding to the question, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the government intends to conduct the panchayat elections, but they will be held at the “appropriate time.”
“We intend to hold panchayat elections,” Omar Abdullah said. When asked when the elections would be held, the Chief Minister replied, “The elections will be held at the right time.” When the BJP MLA pressed him further and asked when that “right time” would come, Omar responded, “When it comes, it will come.”
During the exchange, Omar Abdullah also referred to the BJP’s position on the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He said that just as the BJP maintains that statehood will be restored at the “appropriate time,” the government could similarly say that panchayat elections would also be held at the appropriate time. “You say statehood will return at the appropriate time; we will also say that panchayat elections will be held at the appropriate time,” Omar said. The Chief Minister also questioned what exactly the BJP meant by the “appropriate time” and pointed out that the party had not specified a clear timeline for the restoration of statehood either.
The exchange took place during a question-and-answer session in the Assembly after MLA R.S. Pathania sought clarity from the government regarding its plans and timeline for conducting panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
