Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday, 12 July launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre, alleging that the 2022 delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir was engineered to enable 'backdoor rule' rather than strengthen democratic representation. Addressing a gathering of supporters in Jammu, Abdullah also renewed his demand for the restoration of full statehood to the Union Territory.

Delimitation Designed for Control, Alleges Abdullah

The Jammu and Kashmir delimitation process, completed in 2022, increased Assembly seats from 83 to 90. Abdullah argued that this restructuring was not aimed at improving representation but at consolidating the Centre's political grip. 'The delimitation exercise was designed to enable backdoor rule rather than strengthen democratic representation,' he said, according to reports.

He further alleged that the BJP is deploying 'Operation Lotus' to weaken and fragment opposition parties across the country. He cited the cases of the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab as examples of this alleged strategy.

Statehood Demand: A Promise, Not a Favour

Abdullah stressed that the demand for statehood is not a concession being sought from the Centre but a commitment already made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. 'People of Jammu and Kashmir have waited long enough for the restoration of statehood, and further delay is unacceptable,' he said. He noted that assurances had been given by political leaders, Parliament, and the Supreme Court that statehood would be restored at the earliest.

He added that nearly all major political parties that contested the 2024 elections had supported the statehood commitment, and challenged the BJP to name any of its own candidates who campaigned against restoration of statehood during those polls.

BJP's Record on Promises Under Scrutiny

Turning the accountability lens on the ruling party, Abdullah questioned the BJP's own track record of honouring commitments. He said the party frequently holds others to their election promises while remaining silent on its own unfulfilled pledges to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. 'People had placed their trust in the Centre, but were met with unfulfilled commitments,' he said.

National Conference Escalates Statehood Campaign

The National Conference (NC), which leads the Jammu and Kashmir government, has sharpened its campaign on the statehood issue, signalling it will remain central to the party's political agenda in the months ahead. The NC has issued a call for a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on 20 July, mobilising support for the statehood demand at the national level. The demonstration is expected to draw participation from allied political formations and civil society groups. Whether the Centre responds with a concrete timeline remains to be seen.