Srinagar/New Delhi, 8 February 2025: As the BJP appeared poised for a resounding victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday took a swipe at INDIA bloc partners AAP and Congress for contesting as rivals. “Aur lado aapas mein (fight more),” Abdullah remarked after trends showed the BJP making significant gains.
Despite being allies in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, AAP and Congress engaged in a bitter campaign against each other in Delhi, with Rahul Gandhi leading attacks on Arvind Kejriwal over corruption allegations, while Kejriwal retaliated by raising the National Herald case against Rahul.
The friction also divided the broader INDIA bloc, as Samajwadi Party openly backed AAP, with Akhilesh Yadav campaigning for Kejriwal. Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar supported AAP but refrained from ground-level campaigning, whereas Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) remained neutral.
Abdullah, who had earlier urged the opposition alliance to reassess its strategy, reiterated the need for a formal discussion.
“I have said this before, and I will say it again—someday, the INDIA alliance will have to sit down and discuss our strategy moving forward. If we fall apart like this, it won’t be good for the country,” he said, cautioning against continued divisions.
Acknowledging that the alliance was formed to counter the BJP, he noted that while they may not have fully succeeded, they had significantly strengthened the opposition in Parliament.
“If we keep breaking apart, it won’t be a good sign,” he added, suggesting a post-election meeting to reassess the coalition’s future.
