Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday questioned the direction of the INDIA bloc, expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of clarity regarding its leadership and agenda.
He pointed out that if the alliance was solely meant for the parliamentary elections, it should be dissolved, but if it was intended to continue for Assembly elections, the parties must work together.
Abdullah emphasized that after the Delhi Assembly elections, the alliance members should meet to determine the future course of action. He stressed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, and other political parties on the ground would decide how to approach the elections and compete effectively with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing a query about a statement from an RJD leader suggesting that the INDIA bloc was only for the Lok Sabha elections, Abdullah remarked that no time limit had been set for the alliance.
He expressed concern over the lack of clarity regarding the alliance's leadership, its party structure, and its agenda, leaving the continuation of the alliance uncertain.
Abdullah also suggested that a meeting of the INDIA bloc members could be called after the Delhi elections to provide more clarity on the alliance's future.
Regarding AAP's growing support in Delhi ahead of the upcoming elections, Abdullah refrained from commenting, noting that the political dynamics of Delhi would be determined by the local parties and voters.
In another development, Abdullah commented on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly's orientation program for newly-elected legislators. With many members previously having served when Jammu and Kashmir was a state, Abdullah acknowledged the differences in the current system.
He noted that the program, organized by the speaker and attended by the deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha, would help familiarize legislators with the new system. He expressed confidence that the experience of senior members would enable better representation of the people in future sessions.