JKNC MLA was offered Rs.20-30 crore, ministerial berth to switch sides: Omar
Ahead of the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar in support of the restoration of Statehood, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday charged the BJP with attempting to destabilise his government by using money power and false promises of statehood to lure National Conference MLAs.
Addressing a workers’ convention at the Hazratbal mausoleum of his grandparents on the 26th death anniversary of his grandmother, Akbar Jehan, Abdullah claimed the BJP was actively trying to break the National Conference after failing to tempt its legislators with ministerial berths.
“Attempts are being made to break the National Conference. After greed for money and ministerial berths didn’t work, the BJP is now telling my MLAs behind closed doors that ‘come with us, and we will give you statehood’,” he said.
Honourable CM @OmarAbdullah discloses bid to split JKNC, says party MLA was offered Rs 20–30 crore to switch sides by a BJP backed Supreme Court lawyer. A must watch! pic.twitter.com/4u7sQ2Umk9
— JKNC (@JKNC_) July 11, 2026
The Chief Minister alleged that one National Conference MLA from Jammu had directly informed him about a specific offer. “God bears witness that one MLA from Jammu told me that a BJP office-bearer, who is also a Supreme Court lawyer, offered him Rs.20-30 crore, a ministry, and statehood after asking him to support them,” Abdullah said.
“They think people’s faith is so weak.”He asserted that National Conference legislators would not “sell” themselves.
“There is not a single legislator on the stage who will sell his integrity for Rs.20 crore, or even Rs.100 crore, because we know that we are answerable to God,” he declared.
Abdullah warned the BJP against trying to capture power through the back door. “Don’t think that we are so weak that you will make an entry through the back door. You will never reach the chair at the front through the back door. People have kept you at the back, and you will remain there,” he said.
The event at Hazratbal drew large numbers of National Conference workers and leaders, who rallied behind Abdullah’s strong message of unity and resistance to alleged poaching attempts.
Honourable CM @OmarAbdullah thunders. Asks if you wanted to tie the hands of elected Government here, then what was the need to have elections. pic.twitter.com/zeFm0VHHdW
— JKNC (@JKNC_) July 11, 2026
On the occasion, Omar appealed to all political parties in J&K to stand united and come together on the issue of statehood and join the party’s protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20.
The NC has already invited leaders of various political parties in the UT and their allies in the INDIA bloc to join its proposed statehood protest.
Referring to the all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 24, 2021, to discuss the political future of Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370, NC president Farooq Abdullah said he pointed out at the meeting that there was a trust gap between Delhi and J&K.
“The PM then had said that the gap would be bridged. But has it happened?… We are also humans. We are the crown of India, and not its shoes. We also have respect, and we appeal to you (PM) to peacefully restore that respect,” Farooq said.
Senior Abdullah said the Central government had promised to restore J&K statehood during a meeting with the chief minister, but “unfortunately, those promises were not kept”.
“However, we have not lost courage, and will never,” he asserted.
Farooq asked the leaders to leave their personal interests and work unitedly for the people of J&K.
The three-time former chief minister also claimed that attempts are being made to break the National Conference party and asked the workers to be courageous.
“You have to keep courage. Attempts are being made to buy our people, as they did in 1984. They will continue to do that. But they will not succeed. Many tried to, but are nowhere now,” Farooq said.
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