'Once We Make Friends, We Stick To Them': Omar Abdullah Clarifies Father Farooq's Remark On I.N.D.I.A Bloc

Abdullah also addressed his father's comments on seat sharing with the I.N.D.I.A bloc and contesting alone in the upcoming Parliament elections, stating that these remarks were taken out of context.

National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday "categorically" dismissed the possibility of his party aligning with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), asserting that there is no intention to join the alliance. Addressing reporters in Srinagar, the former chief minister said that certain people attempt to undermine the NC whenever they perceive the party gaining strength.

"Conspiracies are hatched, and statements are presented in a distorted manner," Abdullah stated. "Let me make it clear that there is no avenue, window, or even a crack open for the NDA. We are not going to knock at their doors, and there is no possibility of us joining them."

Saying that the NC is going to remain a member of the opposition bloc, Abdullah said, "Once we make friends, we stick to those friends".

Abdullah's remarks came in response to a report by a private channel that suggested NC president Farooq Abdullah had hinted at the prospect of the party joining the NDA bloc.

Regarding the upcoming assembly elections, Abdullah expressed the National Conference's desire to secure enough seats to reverse the changes implemented by the BJP.

"Our aim is to come back (to the assembly) with a sizeable number of seats so that we can start to undo the damage that the BJP has done to Jammu and Kashmir since 2019. To undo the damage, we obviously cannot be part of the NDA," he clarified. "Our entire campaign at that time, when assembly elections happen, will be to target the BJP for everything they have done to Jammu and Kashmir. So, saying that we are preparing to join the NDA is wrong, false, and without any basis."

Abdullah also addressed his father's comments on seat sharing with the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A bloc and contesting alone in the upcoming Parliament elections, stating that these remarks were taken out of context.

"The party president, while coming out of a meeting, voiced the sentiment of the party cadres that NC should contest the polls alone. Our stand on seat sharing has been very clear right from day one. There are six Lok Sabha seats in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Three are with NC and three with BJP," he explained. "We are open to discussing seat sharing with the Congress on the three seats that are with BJP right now."

Abdullah ruled out any discussions on sharing seats in the Kashmir valley, as these seats are already under the National Conference's control.

"If the aim of I.N.D.I.A bloc is to stop BJP, then why ask for the seats which are already with the I.N.D.I.A bloc. If the aim is to strengthen your party (Congress), then you have come to the alliance with the wrong aim," he concluded.