We don’t want to fight Delhi; confrontation will not solve J&K’s problems: Farooq Abdullah

SRINAGAR: Amid widening gulf between National Conference lawmaker Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah mainly over the latter’s growing proclivity towards the Narendra Modi government, the party supremo Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday that the Union Territory government does not want to fight New Delhi but have cordial relations with it so that the problems faced by the people are solved. Mr. Abdullah was replying to a query about Aga Ruhullah’s voicing concern that NC vice president and chief minister Omar Abdullah is in danger of being seen by the people of J&K as ‘Delhi’s representative’ if he distances himself from them or from the NC’s mandate on which it won the Assembly elections in October 2024. The former chief minister said J&K is faced with a severe unemployment issue and many other problems which can be solved only when there are cordial relations between the Centre and the UT government. Those who want to may do it.” Replying to a query on the dual governance structure existing in J&K, Mr. Abdullah who served J&K as chief minister thrice said that it would go, and the region would stabilise once full statehood is restored.