In a show of strength in their bastion Srinagar, top National Conference (NC) leaders and swarms of workers accompanied former minister Aga Ruhullah Medi as he filed his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha seat, which goes to polls in fourth phase on May 13.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister (CM), who has also served as an MP from Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah and NC vice president Omar Abdullah accompanied Medi in a cavalcade of cars covered in party flags as he submitted his papers at the DC office.

Speaking on the occasion, Omar said the fight was between National Conference and the rest, even dubbing the Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is still part of the Opposition INDIA bloc, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally. Former Srinagar municipal commissioner Salman Sager filed as the covering candidate for Aga Ruhullah Mehdi.

“Their secret alliance has been proven that they (political parties) are fighting elections against us. Not one but two leaders of the BJP in Rajouri have supported Mehbooba Mufti. This proves that BJP, their allies A, B, C (referencing Sajjad, Azad and Altaf Bukhari), the central government, Raj Bhavan, all are fighting elections against the NC. But we will still win with the help of people,” he said.

Earlier, PDP candidate Waheed-ur-Rehman Para had on Wednesday filed his papers amid much fanfare.

Srinagar has been an NC stronghold for decades, but PDP made inroads into the and won the seat in 2014 before posting wins in several assembly segments.The NC again emerged as the winner as PDP battled desertions in 2019.

Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Vikar Rasool who was also accompanying the NC candidate said the alliance will win all six seats in Jammu and Kashmir.

PC blasts ‘arrogance’

Peoples Conference spokesperson, Adnan Ashraf, meanwhile, termed Abdullah’s remarks “arrogant”, saying, “Who knew George W. Bush’s infamous ‘you’re either with us or against us’ mantra would find an unlikely echo far, far away in Jammu and Kashmir?… the spirit of arrogance knows no geographical borders,” he wrote on X.

Amir Bhat, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) district president and party candidate, also submitted his nomination papers from Srinagar. He was accompanied by party president Ghulam Nabi Azad’s son Saddam.

“Let’s close the chapter on despair and stagnation in Jammu and Kashmir. It’s time to usher in a new era of development and progress. Under the leadership of Jenab Ghulam Nabi Azad, DPAP is dedicated to driving forward the agenda of prosperity and advancement for our people and region. Amir Ahmad Bhatt, our candidate for the Srinagar constituency, will champion Azad Sahib’s vision for Jammu and Kashmir,” Azad said.

China must stop supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine if it wants to enjoy good relations with the West, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, warning Beijing in unusually harsh words it cannot have it both ways.

During a visit to Berlin, the chief of the Western military alliance said Beijing’s help was vital to Moscow’s war effort as it was propping up Russia’s war economy by sharing high-end technology like semiconductors.

“Last year, Russia imported 90% of its microelectronics from China, used to produce missiles, tanks and aircraft. China is also working to provide Russia with improved satellite capabilities and imaging,” Stoltenberg said.

“China says it wants good relations with the West. At the same time, Beijing continues to fuel the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War Two. They cannot have it both ways,” he warned.

Stoltenberg cautioned Western allies against becoming as dependent on China as they had been on Russia.

“In the past, we made the mistake of becoming dependent on Russian oil and gas,” he said.

“We must not repeat that mistake with China. Depending on its money, its raw materials, its technologies – dependencies make us vulnerable.”

China has strengthened trade and military ties with Russia in recent years as the United States and its allies imposed sanctions on both, but particularly Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine.

China-Russian trade hit a record of $240.1 billion in 2023, up 26.3% from a year earlier, Chinese customs data shows. Chinese shipments to Russia jumped 46.9% in 2023 while imports from Russia rose 13%.

Last month, Reuters reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China in May for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in what could be the first overseas trip of his new presidential term.