Omar Abdullah, a leader of the National Conference, reiterated on Thursday that his party remains a part of the Opposition INDIA bloc. His statement came shortly after his father, Farooq Abdullah, announced that the party would independently contest all seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
Responding to Farooq Abdullah's declaration, Omar Abdullah explained that his father's statement reflected the sentiments of the party's grassroots supporters.
"We have been transparent regarding seat sharing for the past few months. Our stance is unwavering regarding the seats currently held by the BJP," Abdullah stated, as reported by news agency ANI.
He continued, "The National Conference has openly expressed its preference to contest elections on all available seats. However, in pursuit of larger objectives, occasional compromises may be necessary. If the primary goal is to regain seats from the BJP, then we are open to exploring seat-sharing arrangements with the Congress."
"We have not formally engaged in discussions with the Congress regarding seat sharing, although informal exchanges have occurred. We are a party committed to our alliances, and once we establish partnerships, we remain loyal," he emphasized.
Omar Abdullah further emphasized that the National Conference remains a steadfast member of the INDIA bloc.
Earlier in the day, Farooq Abdullah asserted that his party would contest all seats independently in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, hinting at the potential for rejoining the BJP-led NDA in the future.
During an exclusive interview with India Today, Farooq Abdullah articulated that the National Conference would contest the elections solely based on its strengths, without forming alliances with other political entities. However, he left open the possibility of a return to the NDA fold.
It is noteworthy that the National Conference was previously aligned with the NDA during the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
