Farooq Abdullah’s comments amid NC-BJP post-poll alliance buzz in J&K

As exit polls suggest a clear edge for the National Conference in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly election, NC Chief Farooq Abdullah on Saturday reiterated that his party will not contemplate a post-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party for the formation of a government in the Union Territory.
Ruling out any possibility of teaming up with the saffron camp, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister told PTI, “We cannot form any sort of alliance with the BJP. The vote that we have got here in Kashmir is the vote against the BJP. The difficulties they put the Muslims in, bulldozed their shops, houses, mosques, and schools, do you think we will go with them?”
The National Conference chief also pointed out that the BJP failed to give a mandate to even a single Muslim representative in the Lok Sabha elections and nor is there a single Muslim minister in the Union Cabinet.
“I think our people will not vote for the BJP. If they (BJP) think they will form the government, then they live in a cuckoo’s world,” PTI quoted the National Conference (NC) chief as saying.
Abdullah’s clarification comes amid speculation that his party was engaging in backchannel deliberations with the BJP to form the government.
Most exit polls revealed that no party will be able to touch the majority mark of 46 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections to form the government. However, the National Conference is expected to emerge as the single largest party in Jammu and Kashmir with 33-35 seats, People’s Pulse exit poll shows.
There is a high probability of National Conference led by Farooq Abdullah and Indian National Congress headed by Mallikarjun Kharge to form a government in the valley if exit poll predictions turn out to be true.
On being asked about the chief minister’s choice if the National Conference forms a government in Jammu and Kashmir, party president Farooq Abdullah said the choice for the chief minister will be made after due discussions with the partners and party workers post the election results.
“The votes are still in the boxes and we will to know who exactly is in and out on October 8. I do not believe in exit polls. I have never believed in them and I will never,” Abdullah told PTI.