Lok Sabha elections 2024: INDIA bloc formed to reduce BJP seats, alleges Omar Abdullah

Omar Abdullah. File pic

Congress-led INDIA bloc was formed to reduce the seats of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and not for its own alliance partners for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday. He stressed that his party will not 'surrender' any of the three seats in Kashmir that it won in 2019 elections, reported PTI.

The former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir state, was reacting to speculations that INDIA bloc has reached an agreement on seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha polls- in now the union territories Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

There were talks that a seat-sharing agreement was made, that Congress will fight for Jammu's Udhampur and Ladakh constituencies, National Conference (NC) in Srinagar and Baramulla, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Anantnag seat.

In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, NC had won Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag seats, While, BJP won Udhampur and Ladakh.

"Why should we surrender a seat? The aim of the INDIA alliance is to reduce the seats of BJP and not reduce the seats of INDIA alliance members. We are discussing only three seats," Omar told PTI. He said there has been only one round of discussions in New Delhi recently on the seat-sharing agreement among the INDIA bloc partners.

"There were certain proposals put forward by Congress which required to be discussed within the NC. One of the proposals they had was not accepted by NC senior leadership," he said. While, he did not give any further details on the same. However, Abdullah said that he will go for the second round of discussion in New Delhi.

However, he reiterated that his party would be only discussing those seats which are presently held by the BJP in Jammu & kashmir and Ladakh.

Omar Abdullah also expressed that he is hopeful for in assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir considering the upcoming visit by Election Commission. Jammu & Kashmir has not had assembly elections since 2014.

"It is a matter of shame that assembly elections in J&K had to be announced by the Supreme Court", he said. The SC on December 11 last year had directed the Centre to hold assembly polls in the Union Territory by September 30.

(with PTI inputs)