National Conference Leader Denounces Lingering UT Status, Calls for Immediate Action on Supreme Court Directive; Vows No Alliance with BJP, Threatens Constitutional Crisis if Demands Unmet
- In a dramatic political escalation, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has issued an ultimatum, threatening to resign if full statehood is not restored within a “finite timeline,” directly challenging the Centre’s repeated delays despite Supreme Court directives to act “at the earliest.”
- Abdullah fiercely criticized the BJP’s controversial Rajya Sabha victory, denying any National Conference cross-voting and demanding transparency regarding MLAs who allegedly invalidated votes to aid the BJP, labelling the incident a symptom of political machinations in the region.
- Rejecting any alliance with the BJP as a “betrayal of principles” and a repeat of past “destructive mistakes,” CM Abdullah has indicated willingness to intervene in the Supreme Court case on statehood, denouncing the Centre’s use of security concerns, like the Pahalgam attack, as a pretext for delay.
Mohit Mehra
Srinagar, October 26, 2025: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ignited a political firestorm, declaring he will resign from his position if full statehood is not restored within a “finite timeline,” marking the most assertive stance yet from the National Conference leader on the contentious issue. This unprecedented ultimatum, delivered in an exclusive interview, thrusts the statehood battle into a dramatic new phase, directly challenging the Centre’s prolonged delays and accusations of political manoeuvring amidst a fragile post-Article 370 landscape.
Abdullah’s resignation threat comes at a particularly volatile moment, immediately following the controversial Rajya Sabha election results where the BJP, despite its limited strength of 28 members in the 90-member assembly, controversially secured one seat with 32 votes. This outcome has fuelled intense allegations of cross-voting and horse-trading. The Chief Minister vehemently denied any cross-voting by National Conference MLAs, asserting, “all of NC’s votes remained intact across the four elections, as witnessed by our election agent who saw each polling slip.” He demanded full transparency, questioning the integrity of MLAs who “deliberately invalidated their votes by marking a wrong preference number” to aid the BJP, urging them to “put their hands up and own up.”
The demand for statehood restoration is not merely a political plank; it is rooted in constitutional commitments. On December 11, 2023, a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, while upholding the abrogation of Article 370, explicitly directed the central government to restore statehood “at the earliest, as soon as possible,” outlining a three-step roadmap: delimitation, elections, and then statehood restoration. Abdullah underscored that the first two steps have been completed with “enthusiastic” public participation, stating, “It was bad luck for the BJP that they did not win the polls, but people cannot be punished for that.”
The Centre, however, continues to cite security concerns, notably referencing the devastating Pahalgam terrorist attack of April 22, 2025, which tragically killed 26 civilians. This attack, carried out by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has been invoked by the Supreme Court as a factor, acknowledging that “ground realities cannot be ignored.” This has provided the Centre with a convenient justification for delaying the restoration process. Abdullah, however, strongly contradicted the Centre’s claim that consultations are underway with the J&K administration regarding statehood, stating, “No. The first I heard about this was when the Supreme Court was informed,” highlighting a perceived lack of transparency and engagement.
Throughout his tenure, Abdullah has maintained an uncompromising stance against any political alliance with the BJP to expedite statehood. “If you are ready, then tell me, because I am not ready to make that trade,” he declared in September. “If it is needed to include the BJP in the government, then accept my resignation. Make any MLA here the chief minister and form the government with the BJP.” He cites the “destructive impact” of the previous PDP-BJP alliance (2015-2018) as a cautionary tale. “PDP-BJP alliance was born in 2015 and we are still suffering the after effects of that. I have no intention of repeating mistakes that other people have made,” Abdullah asserted.
Highlighting his unique experience as “the only person in the entire country with the experience of being both Chief Minister of a state and the Union Territory,” Abdullah has indicated his willingness to become a party to the Supreme Court case on statehood restoration, actively discussing this possibility with his legal team. The restoration of statehood is crucial for fulfilling key National Conference manifesto promises, including the repeal of the Public Safety Act (PSA), which he explained “also requires restoration of statehood.”
As Abdullah completes his first year in office with no tangible progress on statehood, his resignation threat represents a significant escalation in the political standoff with New Delhi. Home Minister Amit Shah has maintained that statehood will be restored at “an appropriate time,” but Abdullah argues that it should not be contingent on political calculations or used as a “bargaining chip.” This defining moment in post-Article 370 politics sets the stage for a potential constitutional and political crisis if the statehood issue remains unresolved within Abdullah’s self-imposed timeline, with the Supreme Court closely monitoring the situation.
