ANANTNAG: Democratic Progressive Azad Party chief Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday hit back at National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, saying the people of Jammu and Kashmir will decide who the BJP's B or C teams are.

Abdullah had earlier claimed that Azad's Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and the Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Party as well as Sajad Lone's People's Conference were the BJP's B and C teams.

"Omar (Abdullah) was a minister in the BJP government. (PDP chief) Mehbooba (Mufti) was chief minister. I respect both. I have never been a minister or MP or chief minister or Union minister of the BJP," Azad told reporters during an election campaign in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat.

"The people have to decide who has been a part of the BJP and who the A or B or C team of the BJP is," he added.

The former Congress leader also said he is a free man.

"Azad was 'azad (free)', is 'azad' and will be 'azad'. Ghulam Nabi Azad is a 'Ghulam-e-Nabi (slave of Prophet Mohammad)' and no one else's," he added.

Mohammad Saleem Parray is contesting from the seat for the DPAP against Mehbooba Mufti of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference's Mian Altaf Ahmad.

The Anantnag-Rajouri constituency goes to the polls on May 7.