New Delhi:
There is no clarity on the leadership or agenda of the INDIA alliance and the opposition bloc should be dissolved as it was formed just before last year's parliamentary elections, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today.
The National Conference leader was responding to a question on the Delhi Assembly polls, which are witnessing a three-way battle between the AAP, BJP and Congress. Interestingly, the AAP and Congress were already fighting the Lok Sabha elections months ago.
#WATCH | Jammu: J&K CM Omar Abdullah says: “…I cannot say anything about what is happening in Delhi because we have nothing to do with the Delhi elections…As far as I remember, there was no time limit for the INDIA -alliance.Unfortunately no INDIA alliance meeting will be held… pic.twitter.com/u9w9FazeJG
— ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2025
“I cannot say anything about this because we have nothing to do with the Delhi elections. AAP, Congress and the other parties on the ground have to decide how to fight the BJP… As far as I remember, there was no time limit for the elections. INDIA alliance Unfortunately no INDIA alliance meeting is being organized so there is no clarity on leadership, agenda or existence of us (INDIA bloc)… They should end the alliance in case it is just for the parliamentary elections. Mr Abdullah told news agency ANI in response to a question about the Delhi elections and the INDIA alliance.
In recent weeks, AAP and Congress leaders have targeted each other in their campaign for the capital battle. While Congress leaders have accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led party of corruption and poor governance, AAP has alleged that the Congress is walking hand in hand with the BJP.
Questions about the future of the INDIA bloc and its leadership have emerged in the months following the general elections, which saw a united opposition make major gains.
In the wake of the Congress facing setbacks in the polls, questions have also been raised whether the main opposition party should lead the INDIA bloc. Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has offered to lead the bloc if given an opportunity and several partners have backed her.
Earlier, Mr. Abdullah had said that the Congress should not take its leadership for granted. “Being the largest party in Parliament, and also having the Leader of Opposition in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and the fact that they have a pan-India footprint, which no other party can claim, are a natural kind of leaders of an opposition movement,” Abdullah said. Still, there is a sense of unease among some allies, who feel Congress is “not doing enough to justify, earn or preserve it.” That's something Congress might want to consider,” he said.
