Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Friday described the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections as an ideological clash between secular and communal forces in the state as he expressed hope that his party would emerge victorious.

 

 "This is an opportunity for people to make a discernible choice between communal and secular forces," he said addressing local leaders at the party headquarters – the Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan –  here.

 

 The elections would also prove as people's endorsement of NC's policies, programmes and performance of the government during over past five years, he added. Abdullah said the NC rank and file has been pressed into election gear across the state, with workers stepping up their mass contact campaign.

 

 He held that the performance of his government has been inspiring and innovative, especially with respect to empowering people through Panchayat Raj Institutions, taking governance at grassroots level and making administration accountable and responsive by introducing the right to information and the public services guarantee legislations.

 

 Abdullah, the working president of his party, asserted that the state's people have all along fought the communal, deceptive and disruptive elements and will do so in the future as well.

 

 He said his party is committed to strengthen secular forces by isolating divisive and communal elements, who were posing a big threat to peace and harmony across the country.  "We won't allow them to vitiate the atmosphere by generating ill-will between communities for furthering their nefarious political agenda," he asserted.

 

 He described workers as real strength of the party and hoped they will carry forward the mission chartered by Sher-e-Kashmir, late Sheikh Muhmmad Abdullah, the NC founder and his grandfather, to make Jammu and Kashmir a prosperous, peaceful and forward-looking state.