Srinagar, Sep 2 (IANS): Omar Abdullah, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Vice-President of the National Conference (NC), said on Monday that the separatists now joining the elections has vindicated the stand of the party that violence can achieve nothing.

Speaking to reporters in the Kangan Assembly constituency of Ganderbal district, where the NC has fielded Mian Meher Ali, the son of senior Gujjar leader and Lok Sabha member, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Omar Abdullah said that the decision of separatist leaders to join mainstream politics and contest elections in Jammu and Kashmir indicates an ideological change in the secessionist camp.

"Earlier, the separatists would raise the boycott bogey, whenever, elections were held. Today they are contesting elections."

"It shows that there has been an ideological change. This has vindicated the stand of the NC that violence will not resolve any issues."

"We have maintained it all along that whatever we can achieve will be achieved through democratic ways. If the separatists have developed faith in democracy, it is an achievement for us irrespective of which political party they join," he added.

When a reporter asked him whether the joining of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) by separatist leader, Syed Saleem Geelani, proves that the separatists had supported the PDP in previous elections, Omar Abdullah said, "If you want to create a rift by making me answer this question, I am not answering it."

He also referred to the statement of the then J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik on the appointment of Ram Madhav to oversee the BJP election campaign in the Union Territory.

Omar Abdullah said former J&K Governor Malik had very close ties with the ruling party at the Centre.

"He would know better, he was sent here by the BJP and whatever happened in 2019, happened under his watch," he added.

Asked if Ram Madhav was sent to Jammu and Kashmir to stitch up an alliance with the PDP, Omar Abdullah said only the BJP can say anything on this with authority.

"However, there are no two opinions that Madhav has best relations with the PDP. And he brought the PDP and the BJP on the same platform in 2014 to form an alliance. Perhaps, he has been brought back for the same purpose again," he added.

It must be recalled that Satya Pal Malik had accused Ram Madhav of trying to mediate a money desk for Malik to sign a file when he was the Jammu and Kashmir Governor.

Interestingly, Malik did not say this during his tenure as the Jammu and Kashmir Governor nor did he take any action against those he claimed to have offered him bribe during his gubernatorial tenure here.