Srinagar, Sep 17: Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma on Thursday said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should dissolve the Assembly if the present government has no powers, arguing that fresh elections will anyway be needed once statehood is restored.
Speaking to reporters in Anantnag, senior BJP leader as per Kashmir Convener said if the government is only drawing salaries without any authority to take decisions, it would be better for Omar Abdullah to dissolve the House so that everyone can sit peacefully.
Questioning the continuation of the government, he asked, Why should we lie to people when we will not be able to do anything after 5 years? Why should we forcefully take Rs 2-1.5 lakhs and spend people’s tax money? At the end of the day, we have to say that after 5 years, we do not have the strength. So, what are we waiting for?
Sunil Sharma said if statehood is restored, fresh elections will follow under a new constitutional arrangement, making the present government’s continuation pointless. “If we get the state tomorrow, then there will be an election again because we have to get the state with the new constitutional arrangement. That means there will be a new election. So, why should we wait for the election? Destroy the government. Let’s sit down and dissolve the SMA, he said.
Whenever statehood is restored, there will be new elections. If statehood comes today, elections will have to be held because the new constitutional arrangement will be that of a state. The elections held under the present arrangement were for a Union Territory, Sunil Sharma said.
Taking a jibe at the Chief Minister, he asked, “If we have to wait for elections, what has Omar Abdullah come for till then? Has he come to enjoy? Have they come to live like kings? Why is he deceiving the people?”
On Article 370, Sharma said the decision was taken by Parliament and not by the BJP alone. “The day National Conference takes 275 seats in Parliament, tell them to speak about it,” he said.
Sunil Sharma said the BJP will continue to play the role of Opposition and raise public issues, including the demands of daily wagers working in the PDD, PWD and PHE departments.
Responding to Omar’s claim that the BJP wants his government to fall, Sunil Sharma said, “We will not look at the government at any cost. And we will never topple it. I promise you that the BJP will never topple it. Omar knows that the BJP will not do such a thing. Nor are we going to do it.”
“If it topples on its own, we do not have to be responsible for it. But the BJP will not topple it. Omar knows that. We have told them that we will never topple your government,” he added.
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