“I Swear on the Holy Quran…” Omar Abdullah Responds Sharply to BJP Leader Sunil Sharma’s Coalition Claim

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Srinagar | November 10: Political temperatures in Jammu and Kashmir soared on Sunday after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah hit back at BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, who had challenged him to swear on the Holy Quran over alleged attempts to form an alliance with the BJP after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Sunil Sharma had accused Omar Abdullah of secretly trying to strike a post-poll alliance with the BJP in 2024 to regain statehood and political control. Responding to the charge, Omar Abdullah took to X (formerly Twitter), writing, “I swear on the Holy Quran that I never made any attempt, either directly or indirectly, to ally with the BJP — not for statehood, nor for any other reason.”

The controversy erupted during the heated campaign ahead of the Nagrota and Budgam Assembly bypolls, scheduled for November 11. Sunil Sharma had publicly challenged Omar to take an oath inside any mosque, declaring, “If Omar Abdullah claims innocence, let him swear on the Holy Quran that he never tried to ally with the BJP in 2024.”

Omar’s strong rebuttal has intensified the political battle in the Union Territory, especially as both Budgam and Nagrota constituencies are witnessing high-stakes contests. The Budgam seat fell vacant after Omar Abdullah, who had won from both Budgam and Ganderbal in 2024, resigned from Budgam. The Nagrota seat became vacant following the death of BJP MLA Devender Singh Rana on October 31, 2024.

As campaigning ends, both the National Conference and BJP are making last-minute efforts to consolidate voter support — and this latest Quran-oath controversy has added a dramatic twist to the final hours of electioneering.