Lok Sabha Elections 2024: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday (April 23) dubbed Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP as the BJP’s “C-team” and said that the people should only look towards I.N.D.I.A bloc candidates in the Lok Sabha Elections to defeat the communal forces. His remarks came while speaking to the reporters after an election rally in south Kashmir’s Kokernag. Notably, NC is contesting on three seats in Kashmir while its ally Congress is contesting on two seats in Jammu.
“We have said from the start. If we have to defeat the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, if we have to defeat the communal forces trying to spread poison across the country, people should only look towards candidates of the INDIA bloc,” he said.
The NC, PDP and Congress are constituents of the Opposition’s I.N.D.I.A bloc, however, the PDP is fighting the polls on its own while the remaining two parties are contesting the Lok Sabha elections together.
Abdullah's jibe at Mehbooba
Abdullah further said, "The rest have connections with the BJP somewhere -- be it B-team or A-team who hold late-night meetings with (BJP leader) Tarun Chugh or the PDP. (BJP leader) Mushtaq Bukhari has openly announced to cast his vote in favour of (PDP chief) Mehbooba Mufti."
The National Conference vice-president said he understands the PDP chief will put pressure on the BJP to make Bukhari change his statement.
“I take it that Mehbooba Mufti will put pressure on the BJP to get Mushtaq Bukhari to change his statement but the cat is out of the bag now. After the A-team and the B-team, the PDP has now joined as the C-team of the BJP," Abdullah added.
Mehbooba joined the electoral fray from the Anantnag-Rajouri seat after the National Conference refused to accommodate the PDP chief, citing its victory from all three Lok Sabha constituencies in the Kashmir Valley in 2019.
When asked about the BJP not fielding incumbent Ladakh MP Jamyang Namgyal, Abdullah said it does not concern him.
"It is an internal matter of the BJP. I am only concerned that the Congress should field the right candidate from Ladakh as we are contesting there together. There should be no room for a BJP win there," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
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