'NC Stands On Its Own Feet': Farooq Abdullah Amid Tensions With PDP, Asserts Unity Within I.N.D.I.A.
Farooq Abdullah reiterated the National Conference's commitment to the I.N.D.I.A. coalition saying that be it NC or the PDP, their respective wins will help the I.N.D.I.A. coalition
In the backdrop of simmering tensions between the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC) over contesting Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir, NC president Farooq Abdullah affirmed on Saturday that both parties are integral to the I.N.D.I.A. coalition and expressed confidence in securing victories for the alliance.
Responding to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's discontent over the NC's decision to contest all three Lok Sabha constituencies in Kashmir, Abdullah reiterated the NC's commitment to the I.N.D.I.A. coalition. According to news agency PTI, he stated, “I do not know what she (Mufti) had said… National Conference stands on its own feet and has won three seats (in the 2019 general elections). We are part of the alliance and she is also part of the alliance. If the National Conference wins (these seats) again, they will win it for the INDIA alliance and so what is the problem.”
VIDEO | Lok Sabha elections 2024: Here’s what National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said on disappointment expressed by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti over his party's decision to go solo in Kashmir.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 9, 2024
“The National Conference (NC) stands on its own feet and those three seats were… pic.twitter.com/UfQe1CNck5
Abdullah emphasised the importance of the I.N.D.I.A. coalition for the nation's future and democracy. He stressed the need for a secular India where all communities can coexist peacefully and prosper. "India is for all. India is not Pakistan. The Constitution of India was framed on the lines that we are all one," he remarked, as quoted by PTI.
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Lok Sabha Election: NC's Electoral Strategy In Jammu-Kashmir
Regarding the NC's electoral strategy, Abdullah disclosed that the party would contest the three seats in the Kashmir valley, with the Congress invited to contest two seats in the Jammu region. Additionally, there would be a consensus candidate from the NC and Congress for the Ladakh seat. In the previous elections, while the NC secured victory in three Kashmir seats, the BJP won two Jammu seats and the lone Ladakh seat.
Mehbooba Mufti On 'Shattered' Gupkar Alliance
Expressing her dismay over the apparent disintegration of unity within the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti lamented on Friday, "I regret that what we nurtured for five years has been shattered." Mufti highlighted the importance of preserving the unity that had been cultivated over the years. She further mentioned that had the National Conference (NC) leadership engaged in discussions with her, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) could have accommodated the NC's aspirations to contest all three seats in the valley.
Despite the rift, Mufti reiterated that the PDP remained committed to the I.N.D.I.A. bloc and expressed intentions to confer with the Congress regarding future strategies.
Farooq Abdullah On Pakistan, Akhilesh Yadav's 'Hitler' Remark On PM Modi
Abdullah commented on Pakistan's approach towards India, asserting that it is for Islamabad to decide whether they seek peaceful relations. He reiterated Kashmir's integral connection with India and stated that it is up to Pakistan to choose its course of action.
“What Pakistan does, is their problem. It is their nation and it is for them to decide whether they want to live in peace with our nation or they don’t want to live in peace. Kashmir was acceded to India by Maharaja Hari Singh and that accession is even today and that will last forever,” he said, adding, “We are part of India and there is no problem for us. It is for them to decide what they want to do.”
Responding to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's comparison of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Adolf Hitler, Abdullah refrained from commenting directly on the statement. Instead, he highlighted Modi's role as a representative of all Indians, regardless of their religious affiliations, both within the country and on the global stage, as per PTI.
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