Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has taken a sharp dig at the INDIA alliance, particularly targeting the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), following early leads that indicated a landslide victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi.
As counting trends showed the BJP securing nearly 50 out of 70 Assembly seats in Delhi, the National Conference leader shared a pointed message on social media. He posted a GIF with the words, “aur lado, jee bhar ke lado, samapt kar do ek dusre ko” (fight some more, fight to your heart’s content, finish each other off). Along with the GIF, Abdullah reiterated the sentiment, writing: “aur lado aapas mein” (fight each other some more).
Aur lado aapas mein!!! https://t.co/f3wbM1DYxk pic.twitter.com/8Yu9WK4k0c
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 8, 2025
Congress and AAP Rift Widening
Despite forming an alliance for the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, the Congress and AAP chose to contest the Assembly elections separately. The campaign period saw leaders from both parties engaging in heated exchanges, often accusing one another of being the “B-team” of the BJP.
This division is not new. The Congress had already suffered a significant defeat in Haryana, where it was expected to perform well due to perceived anti-incumbency against the BJP. However, its failure to align with AAP was seen as a critical factor in its poor showing, as the Arvind Kejriwal-led party played a spoiling role in several constituencies. Eventually, Congress managed to secure only 37 out of the 90 seats in Haryana.
Omar Abdullah’s Criticism of the INDIA Alliance
Last month, reacting to the fractured approach in Delhi, Omar Abdullah questioned the purpose and direction of the INDIA alliance.
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“I cannot say anything about this because we have nothing to do with Delhi elections. AAP, Congress and the other parties on the ground must decide how to combat the BJP… As far as I remember, there was no time limit to the INDIA alliance. Unfortunately, no INDIA alliance meeting is being organised so there is no clarity about leadership, agenda, or our (INDIA bloc’s) existence… They should wind up the alliance in case it was just for the Parliament elections…” he had said.
INDIA Alliance Under Fire After Electoral Defeats
Following the Congress’s disappointing performance in Haryana, the INDIA bloc has shown further signs of fragmentation. In Maharashtra, the alliance of the Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP, and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena suffered a major defeat in the November elections, exacerbating internal tensions.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has hinted at her interest in leading the INDIA bloc, garnering support from some allies.
Omar Abdullah also expressed concerns over the Congress’s leadership within the alliance.
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“By virtue of being the single largest party in Parliament, and also having the leader of opposition in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the fact that they have a pan-India footprint, which no other party can lay claim to, they are natural sort of leaders of an opposition movement,” Abdullah said. However, he cautioned that there is growing dissatisfaction among allies, who feel the Congress is not doing enough to justify or maintain its leadership role.
Future of the INDIA Alliance Uncertain
With internal rifts widening and key allies questioning the Congress’s leadership, the future of the INDIA alliance remains uncertain. Omar Abdullah’s remarks underscore the ongoing struggles within the opposition camp as the BJP continues to consolidate power.
As political dynamics shift, all eyes will be on how the opposition parties navigate their internal conflicts and whether they can present a united front against the BJP in future elections.
