BJP Demands Proof or Apology From Omar Abdullah Over Defection Bid Allegations

SRINAGAR: A political controversy has erupted after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah alleged that attempts were made to engineer defections within the National Conference (NC) by offering huge monetary inducements and political incentives to one of the party’s legislators.

Addressing a public rally in Srinagar on Saturday, Abdullah claimed that a Jammu-based NC MLA had informed him that a Supreme Court lawyer, whom he described as being “close to the BJP,” had offered between ₹20 crore and ₹30 crore, a ministerial position, and even the promise of statehood in exchange for switching political allegiance. The Chief Minister termed the alleged move an attempt to undermine the people’s mandate and weaken the NC through political destabilisation.

Reacting strongly to the allegations, BJP's J&K unit chief Sat Sharma on Sunday demanded that the Chief Minister either disclose the identity of the BJP leader allegedly involved in the episode or issue a public apology. Sharma maintained that such serious accusations cannot be made without evidence and called upon Abdullah to substantiate his claims.

Echoing the party’s position, BJP MLA R.S. Pathania dismissed the Chief Minister’s remarks as “false, baseless and politically motivated.” He asserted that allegations of bribery against elected representatives are extremely serious in nature and must be backed by credible and verifiable evidence.

According to Pathania, if the Chief Minister possesses proof of any attempt to influence or bribe legislators, he should immediately place it before the J&K Police, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), or any other competent investigating agency for appropriate action.

Pathania warned that if no such evidence exists, the Chief Minister should publicly withdraw his statement and tender an unconditional apology. Failing this, he said, the BJP would be compelled to pursue legal remedies, including criminal defamation proceedings and other appropriate action. He questioned why no formal complaint or FIR had been registered if any MLA had indeed been approached with an offer to change political loyalties.

Seeking clarity on the allegations, the BJP legislator asked several questions, including who allegedly made the offer, which BJP functionary was involved, which NC legislator was approached, and where and when the purported incident took place. He argued that allegations of this magnitude directly affect the credibility of democratic institutions and therefore cannot be reduced to unverified political rhetoric.

Pathania further accused the Chief Minister of attempting to divert public attention from governance issues and growing criticism within the ruling alliance. He claimed that during the recent Dachigam (Srinagar) meeting, several ruling party legislators themselves raised concerns and allegations of corruption against ministers in the government.

Reaffirming the BJP’s commitment to democratic values and constitutional principles, Pathania said the party would vigorously defend its reputation against what he described as “false, malicious and unsubstantiated allegations.” He reiterated that the BJP would not hesitate to explore all available legal avenues, including the filing of a criminal defamation case, if the Chief Minister fails to either substantiate his claims with evidence or issue a public apology.