Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Polls: NCP chief Omar Abdullah ready for Tihar if Engineer Rashid quits field

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Friday said he is ready to accompany Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid, better known as Engineer Rashid, when the latter goes back to Tihar jail, asking the Awami Ittehad Party leader to leave the election campaign and stay at home.

Abdullah was responding to Rashid's comments during a social media interaction, in which Rashid dared the National Conference leader to accompany him to Tihar jail and said that in return he would leave the (election) field.

"I am telling you all today that I will accompany him (Engineer Rashid) to Tihar jail when he goes back there. Let him leave the ground and stay at home," Abdullah said on the sidelines of an election campaign in Kulgam of southern Kashmir.


Abdullah lost this year's Lok Sabha election against Rashid from Baramulla constituency with a margin of more than 200,000 votes.

The National Conference vice president dared Rashid to clarify his stand on the possibilities of his post-poll alliance with BJP. "He is silent on whether he will support the BJP after the election (is over). He should make it clear that he won't support the BJP in any way after the election," said Abdullah.

Engineer Rashid was released on bail on September 11 for 22 days. Immediately after his release he started targeting the National Conference and People's Democratic Party and their leadership.

Abdullah said the people of Baramulla were made to believe that you can get someone out of jail through vote. "Nobody is released through vote. It can happen only through court," he said.

He also targeted Rashid for spreading misinformation about the National Conference manifesto.