As exit poll results came in, giving an edge to the Congress-NC alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, Awami Ittehad Party chief Sheikh Abdul Rashid affirmed Saturday that regardless of the outcome, control of the Union Territory will remain with Delhi.
Rashid, widely known as Engineer Rashid, expressed skepticism about exit polls and indicated he would await the final results of the assembly elections. Meanwhile, Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi visited Rashid’s residence on Saturday, raising speculation that Channi might be seeking Rashid’s backing for a potential coalition between the National Conference (NC) and Congress for government formation.
“Everybody is at liberty to have an exit poll. They know better what the criteria were. People have voted, so let’s wait for October 8,” Rashid told PTI.
He emphasised he has never relied on exit polls. “Did anybody predict me winning the Baramulla parliamentary elections? Nobody! I was in jail and the least I could experience was that nobody talked about us. Anyway, people have voted, so let’s wait till October 8,” he added.
On Channi’s visit, Rashid said he was the only leader to stand up for him in Parliament. “He came to visit and I thanked him for raising voice for me. We had a good discussion,” the AIP chief said.
When asked about the specifics of his conversation with the former Punjab chief minister, the Lok Sabha MP from Baramulla remarked, “When two politicians meet, politics will obviously be discussed.”
Asked if the elections will throw up a hung assembly in J&K, Rashid said irrespective of the results, the control will lie with Delhi.
“Whether we are going to have a hung assembly here or any one political party gets majority of seats, the control lies with New Delhi because J&K is a Union Territory. Whoever forms the government here — especially those who claimed to reinstate Article 370, statehood or Article 35A, or prisoners out of jails or to stop human rights violations or initiating talks with Pakistan — it’s an examination for them,” he said.
Rashid added that the party with more seats would bear greater responsibility.