Srinagar, Oct 12: Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma on Monday accused the Congress of rigging the 1987 Assembly elections, alleging that the National Conference and the Abdullah family had benefited from the electoral malpractice.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, LOP Sharma responded to the opposition INDIA bloc’s ongoing campaign over alleged electoral irregularities and its protests seeking greater transparency in the electoral process.
“If this allegation applies to anyone, then it applies to the rigging of 1987. The biggest allegation in the country is the rigging of 1987. It is the theft of 1987,” he said.
Sharma alleged that the Congress had stolen votes in J&K and said the Abdullah family needed to answer questions about the allegations surrounding those elections.
“Congress has stolen votes here. The case of 1987 polls is an example in the whole world,” he said.
The LOP also targeted Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over his participation in the opposition’s campaign.
Referring to CM Omar’s earlier remarks on the 2024 assembly elections, he said the CM had described the polls as exceptionally good but was now questioning electoral transparency.
“Two years ago, he said that such a beautiful election had happened for the first time in history. This came out of Omar Abdullah Sahab’s mouth,” Sharma said.
He referred to CM Omar’s reported comments on the use of electronic voting machines and asked why the CM was now raising questions about the electoral process.
“If it went wrong, then your election was also bad. You resign on moral grounds,” the LOP said.
Criticising the INDIA bloc’s street protests, the BJP leader said political parties should seek public support through democratic processes rather than demonstrations that disrupt daily life.
“If you want to show your strength, gather two lakh or five lakh people. Gather in a stadium or at Ramlila Maidan if you do not have a place at Jantar Mantar. Raise your slogans, and when people accept you, they will bring you to power,” he said.
Sharma stressed that protests should not obstruct essential services or inconvenience the public, including students, patients and businesses.
“People have to go to school, people have to go to hospitals, people have to open businesses. If you close all the roads, no one will allow you anywhere,” he said.
The LOP also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his reported interaction with a woman police officer during the protests, describing such conduct as unacceptable.
On the Uniform Civil Code, he said it would be implemented in J&K along with the rest of the country.
He rejected CM Omar’s reported assertion that the legislation would never be implemented in Kashmir.
“UCC will be implemented in India, and Kashmir will also be part of it,” Sharma said.
The 1987 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections remain a contentious episode in the region’s political history.
Allegations of electoral malpractice have frequently been cited in discussions about the emergence of armed militancy.
The Congress and National Conference had entered into an electoral alliance for those polls, which were won by the NC-Congress combine.
