National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Sunday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and accused him of “surrendering” to Pakistan and militants to prevent the announcement of dates of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Election Commission declared dates for the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday evening. It also announced dates for Assembly elections in four states whose governments’ tenures are coming to an end in the coming three months. However, on account of security reasons, the poll panel did not give dates for Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which are also due. Only Parliamentary elections will be held in the state.

Abdullah questioned Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement in Parliament earlier this year about the Centre’s readiness to hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir along with the General Elections. “What happened to Rajnath Singh’s assurance to Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as well as to the all-party meeting held recently in Delhi that all forces would be made available for simultaneous polls?” Abdullah asked.

“Prime Minister Modi has surrendered to Pakistan, to the militants and to the hurriyat,” Abdullah tweeted. “Well done Modi Sahib. 56-inch chest failed.”

Abdullah said Modi has made a mess of the situation in Kashmir. “In 2014 we had the Lok Sabha elections on time and the Assembly elections on schedule even after the most devastating floods,” he tweeted. “Shows how badly the BJP and earlier the Bharatiya Janata Party-Peoples Democratic Party mishandled Jammu and Kashmir.”

“Balakote and Uri are not symbols of PM Modi’s handling of national security,” Abdullah said while referring to the Indian armed forces strikes across the Line of Control. “Jammu and Kashmir is and look at the mess he has made there. The abject surrender to anti-India forces is a crying shame.”

Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti said the decision to not announce Assembly election dates is a sign of the Union government’s “sinister designs”. “Not letting people elect a government is antithetical to the very idea of democracy,” she tweeted. “It is also a tactic of buying time to dis-empower people by pushing an agenda that suits their ulterior motives.”

Governor’s rule was imposed in the state in June 2018 with the collapse of the ruling coalition of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Peoples Democratic Party. Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the state Assembly on November 21, 2018, and upon completion of six months of governor’s rule, president’s rule was imposed.