Setback for INDIA bloc as Omar Abdullah refuses to have alliance with PDP

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, March 8

In a major political development in Kashmir ahead of Lok Sabha polls, National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti vented their anger against each other over seat sharing under INDIA alliance in J&K.

While Omar Abdullah in Srinagar stated that PDP ranked third in 2019 polls in Anantnag and doesn’t deserve to contest under the alliance, Mufti stated that NC has done what BJP was not able to achieve by breaking INDIA alliance. Both the parties are a part of the alliance.

Personal remarks on PM backfire: Omar

• National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Friday said personal attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi backfired on the Opposition and slogans about his family only led to a self-goal 
•  His remarks came in response to a question about RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s jibe on the PM for having no family
•  “I was never in favour of such slogans. In fact, there is an opposite effect when we use such slogans, it causes loss to us. A voter wants to know how the issues he faces today would be addressed,” he said 

Rejecting the alliance with PDP for upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Omar said that the circumstances call for PDP to remain out of the polls. “People ask us why PDP should not contest from Anantnag seat. How is it possible to give a seat to a party which stood third in last polls? Omar said.

A visibly angry Omar said keeping the coalition going in right direction is responsibility of all parties and not only of NC. Talking to reporters he said “You do not ask them about coalition Dharma when they (PDP) writes against us on social media. Instead of targeting BJP they attack us at every given opportunity” he said.

He said that his party even asked Congress to contest from Anantnag seat besides Udhampur and Jammu Lok Sabha constituency seat. “If leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi are ready to contest, we will give way to them from Anantnag” he said.

Meanwhile, in a retaliatory press briefing, Mehbooba Mufti said that it was disappointing to listen that PDP is not a part of the alliance.

“Farooq Abdullah should have discussed with us before taking a decision. He should have told us that workers of his party are not ready to give way to us (for Anantnag constituency). We would have sacrificed if they had given us a reason. This is a shock for me. This was least expected. What BJP was not able to do, NC has done” Mehbooba said.

“Our opponent (BJP) is very strong and dangerous and I wanted to resist it together with other alliance partners. However the decision of NC has changed the goal post…. now we are standing against NC. PDP may be down but not out…now we will go before the people and keep our case,” she said. 

Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday accused the National Conference (NC) of reducing the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to a "joke" after the Farooq Abdullah-led party unilaterally decided to contest all three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir.

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