Omar Abdullah can consult me if he faces trouble running a 'half-state': Arvind Kejriwal | India News – Times of India
JAMMU: AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal offered support and advice Sunday to National Conference’s Omar Abdullah on “how to run a half-state“, suggesting that J&K’s first elected CM since it became a Union territory would soon realise how different his second stint was going to be compared to when he helmed the erstwhile state 15 years ago.
“Delhi is called a half-state because the CM has limited powers.Now, they (BJP) have also turned J&K into one, with the lieutenant governor having more powers than an elected govt,” Kejriwal said at a rally in Jammu division’s Doda.
“I want to tell Omar that if he faces any hardship in his work, consult me…I ran the govt in Delhi for 10 years.”
The former Delhi CM, out on bail in a corruption case, was in Doda for a “thanksgiving rally” on AAP’s behalf for its first electoral victory in J&K.
He indicated that AAP was expecting Mehraj Malik, who defeated BJP’s Gajay Singh Rana and ex-ministers Khalid Najib Suharwardy of NC and Abdul Majid Wani from Democratic Progressive Azad Party, to get a ministerial berth for formally supporting the NC-led govt.
“Omar will take over as CM in the next few days. We congratulate him on being picked to head the INDIA bloc govt and hope he will give Mehraj responsibility so that he works for Doda and the rest of J&K.”
Kejriwal said BJP was in govt in 22 states but was still to provide free electricity anywhere and improve the condition of public schools and hospitals. “The Doda region generates hydroelectricity, but why are the people here not getting free power supply?” he wondered.
Mehraj, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Delhi minister Imran Hussain, and AAP MP Sanjay Singh were among the other speakers at the rally.
