Omar Abdullah questions Centre’s stand on Pak, BJP says ‘do not poke your nose’

Srinagar: BJP in Kashmir hit out at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for questioning the Centre's decision to call off the talks with Pakistan.

"Omar is playing to the galleries ahead of the assembly elections. He knows his report card on the performance front is zero. He is indulging in rhetoric to gain sympathy," spokesman of BJP's Kashmir unit Khalid Jehangir said in a statement.

Jehangir said the Chief Minister should focus on local issues rather than "poking his nose" in the foreign policy of the country.

"Omar is raising non-issues to divert the attention of people from his dismal performance as the Chief Minister," he alleged.

The spokesman claimed Omar was trying to appease separatists ahead of polls to get political mileage.

"The new government led by (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi took a bold decision by calling off the talks with Pakistan and everyone has appreciated it," he said.

Criticising Omar for describing BJP's slogan of 44 plus as a "Bollywood glitz", Jehangir said "BJP is emerging as a strong alternative for the people in Jammu and Kashmir. The

Party's growing popularity and increasing influence in Kashmir has unnerved Omar."