Srinagar, December 5: National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah stated on Tuesday that the BJP’s triumph in the assembly polls in three states should not be considered a defeat for the INDIA bloc. According to Abdullah, opposition parties did not unite to contest the polls together, and therefore, the INDIA alliance cannot be deemed unsuccessful.
The BJP secured a significant victory in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, dealing a substantial blow to the Congress and strengthening its dominance in the Hindi heartland.
Abdullah, speaking to reporters after paying tribute to his grandfather Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on his 118th birth anniversary, remarked, “The INDI alliance didn’t fail; the Congress was unsuccessful to some extent in this election, and it knows the reasons better.”
He emphasized that these elections were not contested as an alliance, with separate campaigns by the Congress, SP, AAP, and other parties. Abdullah clarified, “I don’t consider it as a defeat of the INDI alliance because we didn’t contest as an alliance.”
As part of the INDIA bloc, Abdullah stated that the alliance will need to assess the impact of statements made by some alliance members against one another during the elections. Responding to Mamata Banerjee’s statement about not receiving an invitation for the alliance meeting, Abdullah asserted that his party, the NC, has received an invitation for a dinner at the residence of the Congress president, and they will attend if the meeting takes place.
Regarding the BJP’s claim that the elections were a semi-final before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Abdullah commented on the BJP’s tendency to interpret results in their favor. He noted that when the BJP loses a state poll, it dismisses its impact on general elections, but when they win, they attribute it to the leadership of Narendra Modi and the central government.
Addressing the Congress, Abdullah advised focusing on the upcoming general elections, stating, “Elections are like that, you win some, you lose some. You can’t only be satisfied with the elections you win; you must also be ready to accept defeat.”
Abdullah criticized the BJP’s statement about the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir being from the saffron party, stating that the BJP lacks the courage to conduct assembly polls in the Union Territory. He emphasized that a chief minister would be elected through elections, and the BJP appears unwilling to hold elections due to the fear of defeat.
Highlighting the BJP’s recent actions, Abdullah mentioned the introduction of a bill by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to reserve three seats, with nominations to be made by the LG. Abdullah interpreted this move as an acknowledgment by the BJP that they may not secure the required numbers to form a government in the Union Territory.
Additionally, Abdullah expressed condolences over the tragic accident in Shimla, which resulted in the death of six laborers from Jammu and Kashmir.
