Farooq Abdullah was re-elected as the president of the National Conference (NC) for another term on Monday. The leader on Monday made a controversial statement, saying that when he was the chief minister, Army had captured a polling booth and did not allow people to exercise their right in Doda.
“The voting machine was kept inside an army camp. Now, I want to warn the Army to not do this again. Don’t interfere in the elections. I want to tell the government to not interfere in the elections otherwise there would a repercussions. We are ready to give our lives,” added Abdullah.
At present, re-polling in two District Development Council or DDC seats in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara and Bandipora districts are underway after counting of votes in these seats were withheld after the origin of the candidates to these seats were under question, according to officials.
The 85-year-old leader was unanimously elected the party’s chief at the NC’s delegate session held near the masoleum of party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at Naseem Bagh here.
The day also marked the 117th birth anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah.
NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said only Abdullah’s nomination was received till the last date of filing the nominations.
A total of 183 proposals from Kashmir, 396 from Jammu and 25 proposals from Ladakh were received in support of Farooq Abdullah, Sagar said.
The senior leader had recently expressed a desire to step down from the post owing to his health. The party then set the presidential election process into motion and said the new president would be elected at the party’s delegate session.
It said the party’s internal elections had already been concluded.
The last NC presidential elections took place five years ago.
With inputs from News18
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