CM Omar Abdullah: Will Quit Before Joining Hands With BJP

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said he would rather resign than align with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to expedite the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory. 

Speaking at a public gathering in Achabal, Anantnag, Abdullah said that he would not compromise on principles for political gain.

"If bringing the BJP into government is the only way, then take my resignation, select any MLA as Chief Minister, and go ahead. I will not be part of it," he told his supporters. 

He admitted that partnering with the BJP might have sped up the statehood process but stressed that such a move would betray his stand.

"Even in the past, I had the option of joining hands with them like others did, but I chose to keep them out of J&K’s power structure,"Abdullah recalled.

Chief Minister also rejected calls for street protests, drawing a parallel with Ladakh. 

 "There, firing started within an hour of protests. In Kashmir, bullets will rain within ten minutes. I do not want to see our families grieving again," he added.

Abdullah reiterated that the demand for statehood was about identity, not just governance.

"We are not against development. But dignity comes with statehood. We will keep fighting for it without surrendering our principles," he asserted.

The remarks come amid growing discontent over the Centre’s failure to restore statehood, a promise repeatedly made after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. 

The move stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special constitutional status and bifurcated it into two Union territories i .e Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh. 

In December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the changes and   directed the Centre to hold assembly elections by September 2024 and consider restoring statehood "at the earliest".

In September–October 2024, elections were held, with Abdullah’s National Conference, in alliance with Congress, securing a majority of 48 seats. BJP won 29 seats, mostly in Jammu.

On October 16, 2024, Abdullah was sworn in as Chief Minister pledging immediate restoration of statehood.

Nearly a year later, however, the region continues to be governed as a Union Territory, with key powers like law and order under central control. 

In recent months, Abdullah has repeatedly accused the BJP-led government of betrayal and delay. 

On September 29, he said the Centre’s foot-dragging had deepened mistrust among people across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

The issue has also strained the NC-Congress coalition, with Abdullah in July criticizing Congress for unilaterally pushing its own statehood campaign. 

On September 30, a congress delegation met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha seeking both statehood and relief for disaster-hit areas, reflecting a mix of unity and internal friction within the opposition.

Meanwhile, the BJP has dismissed speculation of an early return to statehood or any bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. In August, senior leaders insisted that restoration “would take time" and stressed the need for stability.

Abdullah, however, warned the Centre against testing the patience of J&K’s people.

"Statehood is not a favor but a fundamental right," he said , signaling that the battle for identity and dignity will remain at the core of his government’s politics.

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