On being asked about the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the three-time former chief minister said, “I think that elections in both states will be held with the parliamentary elections.”…reports Asian Lite News
National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday that his party will contest alone in the upcoming parliamentary elections, a decision that is seen as another setback for the opposition coalition INDIA bloc.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar on seat sharing, the National Conference chief said, “As far as seat sharing is concerned, NC will contest alone and there’s no doubt about it.”
On being asked about the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the three-time former chief minister said, “I think that elections in both states will be held with the parliamentary elections.”
Incidentally, several prominent leaders of the National Conference, including Kathua district president Sanjeev Khajuria had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Many supporters and district officeholders also made the switch from the National Conference to the BJP last month.
Abdullah was recently summoned by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) for questioning in connection with the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association money laundering case. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister was earlier summoned for questioning on January 11 but did not appear before the central agency. In July 2022, the ED filed a supplementary charge sheet against Abdullah in the case.
Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc suffered a huge setback earlier in January this year after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) vowed to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha polls alone in West Bengal.
Recently, the Rashtriya Lok Dal in UP also walked out of the alliance and parternered with the NDA.
Later in January, 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.
NC, PDP will remain part of INDIA bloc, says Ramesh
Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday that the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have been a part of the INDIA bloc and will remain so.
Jairam Ramesh said, “Talks are going on. Every party has its own limitations. National Conference and PDP have been a part of the INDIA bloc, and will continue to remain so.”
As the Lok Sabha elections approach, political parties across the spectrum are ramping up their efforts to connect with voters. With the BJP bringing on new partners like the RLD on its platform the INDIA bloc is making efforts to put up a united front. (ANI)
Kharge slams govt
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the ruling BJP on Thursday, saying that it had not provided the promised number of jobs and that the country’s debt situation had deteriorated under its regime.
“I want to ask, where are two crore jobs? Where is Modi’s guarantee? Where is that Rs 15 lakh that he promised?” Kharge asked at a public rally in Bihar’s Aurangabad during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
“Either the Prime Minister is a liar or you people, because he said that I’d give Rs 15 lakhs to all, but you people are saying that you didn’t receive… During UPA time, the government was in debt of only Rs 55 lakh crores, but in Modi’s era, we are in debt of Rs 185 lakh crores,” Kharge added.
Kharge alleged that the BJP follows neither the constitution nor democracy.
“They (the BJP) want dictatorship. That’s why we need to fight them by strengthening ourselves,” he said.
Kharge also slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for switching over to the NDA.
“The way you supported the Nyay Yatra, especially after seeing the number of people present here, I believe that this time, Congress is going to win from here. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had said that he would die but wouldn’t switch to the BJP, and today he is with the BJP because of fear. The real leader is Rahul Gandhi, who follows the path of truth,” he said.
The Congress President said that his party has a history of standing up against injustice in the state.
“We are fighting for justice against the injustice being done to farmers, labourers, youth, and women. Together, we will win this great battle for justice,” he said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that his party is committed to the caste census as the next step to social justice.
“Congress Party has done many revolutionary works in the country, like the Green Revolution, the White Revolution, and the Computer Revolution. Similarly, we are going to do another revolutionary work, which is the caste census. The next step for social justice is a caste census, and Congress will do it,” he said. (ANI)
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