Other States - Jammu & Kashmir   

Omar springs a surprise

By Shujaat Bukhari

Women supporters at a National Conference rally addressed by the party president, Omar Abdullah, at Budgam in central Kashmir on Saturday. — Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

BUDGAM SEPT. 21. The National Conference president and Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, pulled off a pleasant surprise today during his election speech here in the run-up to the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.

Mr. Abdullah did not read out a written speech but surprised an enthusiastic gathering, where the young Shia leader, Aga Syed Roohullah, was also present, by trying to speak in chaste Kashmiri. And he did succeed to a great extent. Omar has, of late, been interacting with the masses in Kashmiri.

The audience burst into peels of laughter on seeing his tryst with Kashmiri, which many say is not his mother tongue. "My opponents cannot level any allegation of corruption or incompetence on me. They had nothing to say except that I did not know Kashmiri," Mr. Abdullah said adding "who says so... I am a Kashmiri and can talk to you in Kashmiri."

He also brushed aside the allegation of fudging the date of birth of Aga Roohullah, party nominee for the Budgam constituency, who is believed to be only 20 years old.

"This is false," Mr. Abdullah said and promised his young supporters that "if you elect him as an MLA, I will make him minister.'' And that he would like to have more youngsters in his government to give it a "new look."

Dismissing reports that his party would not get a majority in the elections, he said "we are winning with a thumping majority and in the Jammu region, there will be many surprises.''

Talking to reporters later, he said he would resign as Minister just before the counting starts. Why not before that? "Because I am busy,'' he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Omar springs a surprise
• EC will face `real test' in 2nd phase: Mufti
• Jammu set to witness interesting contests
• Parties intensify campaigning in border areas

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu