New Delhi, Oct 16 (NationPress) The BJP has sharply criticized J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, marking a year since his administration took office, claiming that he has not kept a single promise made in the National Conference’s (NC) election manifesto.

“Omar Abdullah has seemingly forgotten the commitments outlined in his manifesto. A year has passed since his government assumed power, yet not a single promise to the populace has been fulfilled,” stated Tarun Chugh in a conversation with IANS.

Chugh pointed out that 20 percent of his term has elapsed, during which time he pledged to create jobs for thousands of young people and assured the introduction of the Youth Employment Act within three months.

“Instead of a decrease in unemployment, job seeker lines have only lengthened. Your administration has utterly failed to address employment issues,” he emphasized.

He further argued that all demographics, from farmers to low-income families, are profoundly dissatisfied with the government's performance.

“When will these pledges be honored? The poor are discontented. Every promise remains unfulfilled. People are struggling under high electricity tariffs. The government has stumbled at every hurdle. It feels as if there is no effective government at work. The Abdullah administration appears inexperienced and unprepared. Jammu and Kashmir continues to await the realization of the promises made in your manifesto. Not a single one has been achieved over the past year,” Chugh declared.

Omar Abdullah took the oath of office as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on October 16 of the previous year, following a significant electoral victory for his party, the National Conference, marking its first major success in over a decade.

However, the majority of the party's promises remain unfulfilled.

In its manifesto, titled “Dignity, Identity, and Development,” the National Conference pledged to fully implement the Autonomy Resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2000. They also promised to restore the pre-August 5, 2019, status concerning Articles 370 and 35A, along with statehood.

The party further committed to seeking a revision of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, and the Transaction of Business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules, 2019.

The manifesto also asserted that the party would work to amend, annul, or repeal post-August 5 laws undermining Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, while safeguarding the land and employment rights of its citizens.

In its inaugural year, however, the Omar Abdullah government has made little progress on these commitments, apart from a resolution during its first cabinet meeting advocating for the restoration of statehood, and another in the Assembly calling on the Centre to establish a constitutional mechanism for restoring the region’s special status.