Outlook's Ubeer Naqushbandi Speaks with National Conference's Vice President Omar Abdullah
National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah, who is set to become chief minister for the second time, stressed the importance of a "healthy working relationship" with New Delhi, but said that there would be no common ground between his party and the BJP. Abdullah first served as chief minister from 2009 to 2014 when Jammu and Kashmir was still a state. Speaking with Outlook's senior sub-editor Ubeer Naqushbandi, he said, "We won't accept the politics of the BJP and the BJP won't accept our politics. Our rivalry with the BJP will continue." Abdullah, who won both the Budgam and Ganderbal seats, views the election results as a clear rejection of the BJP’s policies in Kashmir, which overwhelmingly voted against the BJP. The NC secured 42 seats in the 90-member Assembly, crossing the majority mark in partnership with Congress, which won six seats. However, Congress became a junior partner after four independent MLAs extended their support to the National Conference. The BJP, despite achieving its best-ever tally of 29 seats, fell short of its target of 35 in the Jammu region.
