In yet another blow for the INDIA bloc, National Conference chief and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah said that his party \would contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and possible assembly polls in the Union Territory “on its own”.
The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled in April-May year.
The National Conference has been a part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) grouping formed last year.
Speaking at a press conference, Abdullah said, “I think that elections in both states will be held with the Parliamentary elections. As far as seat sharing is concerned, NC will contest alone and there’s no doubt about it.”
Meanwhile, on Farooq’s statement, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that talks are on. “Every party has their own limitations. National Conference and PDP have been a part of the INDIA bloc, and will continue to remain so,” he told news agency ANI.
Laer, party leader Omar Abdullah also clarified talks are on with the Congress for an arrangement in three of the six Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
“We were a part of the INDIA alliance and we still are. Things have been taken out of context. The main idea of the grouping is to defeat the BJP for there is no point in sailing in two boats,” Omar Abdullah said with his father, Farooq Abdullah, by his side.
On speculations of alliance with NDA, Omar Adbdullah said that the party has “no connection” with the NDA. “Neither we are going to knock on their doors in the future nor our doors are open for them. Today, our focus is to stop BJP and for this we have informally discussed about the seat sharing with the Congress.”
Earlier, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal had announced that they will be fighting solo in the Lok Sabha elections.
Recently, the Jayant Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in Uttar Pradesh also walked out of the alliance and partnered with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Earlier, one of the key architects of the INDIA bloc, Janata Dal (Secular) chief Nitish Kumar pulled out of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar and re-aligned with the BJP-led NDA.