Srinagar, Sep 6 (IANS): Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah on Friday said that he always knew that Delhi would try to ‘silence’ him.

“I always knew that Delhi would try to silence me one way or the other. When Engineer Rashid stood against me, he was allowed to record his message from the jail to seek votes on emotions. I never imagined that they (New Delhi) would go to this extent,” said the former Chief Minister while addressing an election rally in the Ganderbal Assembly constituency.

“I lost the Lok Sabha election but that it did not look worrisome to me. I thought luck was on Rashid’s side. But when I filed papers from Ganderbal then another person from jail, Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Barkati was allowed to fight against me. This made me realise that people are put after me. Is this a conspiracy?” Omar asked.

He said when Engineer Rashid filed papers from Baramulla against him, he was a local from the constituency, however, when they (New Delhi) could not find a local in jail from Ganderbal they brought another jailed person from Shopian to fight against him in Ganderbal.

“He (Barkati) filed papers from the Beerwah constituency thinking that since I had won from Beerwah last time I might contest from there. However, when I filed papers from Budgam instead of Beerwah, they were caught on the wrong foot,” the NC Vice President said.

He said that all this proves that New Delhi is not trying to silence any other politician as much as they want to silence him.

“When I speak, I speak for the people. I raise their issues. I talk about our dignity which has been snatched from us. When I take off my cap, it is not only my dignity but the dignity of every Kashmiri,” Omar said.

He said that when he fights against New Delhi, it is not for himself or his family but for all of J&K.

“The BJP does not like this and that is why conspiracy after conspiracy is hatched against me,” the former Chief Minister said.

He hoped that the conspiracy would not succeed again and hoped that the people of Ganderbal would vote wisely this time.

Omar is fighting the election from Ganderbal for the third time. He lost from this constituency in 2002 to Qazi Afzal of the PDP but avenged his defeat by winning from Ganderbal in 2014.

Ganderbal will vote in the second phase on September 25.