Srinagar, Sept. 25 -- Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that statehood was J&K's right and people can't be punished just because BJP lost elections. Talking to reporters and also writing on Facebook, Omar said that statehood was the biggest challenge for J&K. "It is unfortunate that despite the Supreme Court's assurance, statehood has not been restored. First came delimitation, then elections, yet statehood remains pending. What is even more unfortunate is that the BJP itself is opposing it," he said. Omar said that the people of J&K had been hopeful of statehood owing to the promises made by the country's leadership. "Even in the Supreme Court, this was assured to be done in three steps - first delimitation, then elections and finally statehood," he said. He said the first two steps happened with the loss of BJP in the assembly elections. "People participated in elections in good numbers. It was unfortunate of BJP that they couldn't win but the people of J&K can't be punished for that," Omar said. "It seems to appear that since J&K people didn't give BJP a government, so statehood also won't be restored. This is unjust for the people of J&K because nowhere was it said that when the results would favour BJP, only then statehood would be given," he said. " Now it is being seen that if there is opposition to statehood and such things, it is from BJP, " he said. In the first assembly election in J&K in October last year after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the people's verdict gave a huge win to the NC with 42 seats and six to its alliance partner, the Congress and also one to CPI(M), in the 90-member assembly. Independents also gave their support to theNC. The BJP emerged dominant in the Jammu region with 29 seats....