Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah Accuses BJP of Offering Rs 20‑30 crore to NC MLAs

Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said a BJP official who is also a Supreme Court lawyer offered a National Conference (NC) MLA from Jammu ₹20‑30 crore, a ministerial berth and the promise of statehood to induce a party switch. Abdullah claimed the offer was rejected and announced that the NC would hold a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on July 20 to demand restoration of full statehood.

The BJP rejected the allegation as “baseless and irresponsible”, demanded that Abdullah produce evidence or issue a public apology, and warned of legal action. BJP leaders, including MP Sudhanshu Trivedi and MLA R S Pathania, sent a legal notice threatening a ₹100 crore defamation suit and asked Abdullah to withdraw the claim. The party also said it would launch a campaign against alleged corruption.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary backed Abdullah’s accusations, while opposition leader Sunil Kumar Sharma challenged the CM to prove the offer, calling it a diversion from unfulfilled election promises. Several media outlets reported the exchange, and the controversy has intensified the political debate over J&K’s statehood restoration.