National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah Thursday said the BJP is raking up religious sentiments as the ground beneath its feet is slipping away.

The former Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) chief minister said it is no secret that after the first phase of voting, political attacks were carried out, especially against the Muslims by the BJP.

"As far as the use of religion is concerned, this is not the first time. As the BJP sees the ground slipping beneath its feet, it starts talking again in the context of religion," Abdullah told reporters here after NC candidate Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi filed nomination from the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

"It seems that the BJP had some expectations from the first phase of the elections, and perhaps those expectations were not met," he added.

The NC vice president said in the wake of what happened in the Surat constituency in Gujarat, where the BJP candidate won unopposed, the NC has decided to field a covering candidate.

"Ruhullah (Mehdi) filed nomination today but Salman Sagar also filed nomination as a covering candidate. Once scrutiny takes place, Sagar will withdraw," Abdullah said.

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