Omar Abdullah Criticizes Mehbooba Mufti Over Electoral Decisions

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah criticized PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti for her decision to contest against INDIA bloc partners in Lok Sabha polls and for not campaigning in Jammu. He expressed willingness for seat-sharing talks in assembly elections if she supported the alliance.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has criticized PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti's decision to contest against INDIA bloc partners in the Lok Sabha polls and for her lack of campaigning in Jammu. Abdullah indicated that the National Conference was open to seat-sharing discussions for assembly elections if Mufti would support the alliance. However, he noted that such cooperation was not agreeable to her.

In a recent interview with ANI, Abdullah explained that the Gupkar alliance, which includes the National Conference, PDP, and CPI-M among others, never formed an electoral alliance. He emphasized that Mufti's decision to field candidates against the India bloc in the parliamentary elections was a conscious choice. Abdullah stated that he had informed the Congress that there would be no scope for seat-sharing in the Lok Sabha seats held by the National Conference unless Congress sacrificed one of their seats.

He reiterated that the Gupkar alliance was more about ideology and a common fight, especially against the abrogation of Article 370 by the BJP-led NDA government in August 2019. Addressing remarks by Sajjad Lone of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference, who left the Gupkar Alliance in 2020, Abdullah pointed out that a party's stature is determined by the people, not external entities like the BJP or media. Abdullah also revealed that the Congress and National Conference are set to contest the assembly polls in alliance, with specific seat arrangements already in place.

(With inputs from agencies.)