Omar Abdullah, a prominent figure in the National Conference, emphasized the precarious position of the two major non-BJP allies within the NDA coalition, namely TDP and JD(U), suggesting they remain vigilant as the BJP might initiate 'Operation Lotus' to reduce reliance on them. In an interview with PTI, Abdullah underscored that while the mandate of the recent Lok Sabha elections indicated a desire for an alternative to the BJP-led government, a clear alternative wasn't yet apparent.
Abdullah expressed concern, stating, “I believe that both the two main allies of the NDA should look over their shoulder at very regular intervals. I think it will not be long before Operation Lotus starts again. The BJP will try to cobble up the numbers independent of Chandra Nabu (Naidu) sahab and Nitish Kumar sahab, so that they will not be dependent on these people.
“Their own parties are probably at risk in this as well,” Abdullah said.
He also highlighted the minimal number of ministries allocated to these allies within the BJP-led government, suggesting a disparity in influence despite their crucial support. “The parties that the government is so dependent on and the number of ministries they have got in this government is actually quite abysmal. So that is also something to keep in mind, but they are now the party in government, NDA governs this country. Let’s see what happens,” he added.
“If we tried to form an alliance and failed, then I would have been asked ‘Is the INDIA bloc power hungry? Can you not stay out of government? Do you believe that only you can govern the country?’ “I think the INDIA bloc very sensibly accepted the mandate of the people which is that it is not in favour of Prime Minister Modi (but) it is for an alternative. (However), that alternative is not immediately visible but we will keep that option open,” he added.
Regarding the opposition's response to the election outcome, Abdullah defended their approach, stating, "If we tried to form an alliance and failed, then I would have been asked ‘Is the INDIA bloc power hungry? Can you not stay out of government? Do you believe that only you can govern the country?’"
He also addressed the dynamics within the BJP, attributing the opposition's gains in states like Uttar Pradesh to factors such as anti-incumbency and internal power struggles within the ruling party. "I think it is a combination of both anti-incumbency and infighting …. and arrogance that played a part."
Abdullah expressed reservations about the sustainability of the opposition alliance formed during the elections, citing differences among its members and uncertainty regarding their future electoral strategies.
As for the possibility of the National Conference forming a pre-poll alliance with the Congress for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, Abdullah indicated it would require internal discussions within his party. "That I can’t say. This is something that we will have to discuss within the party. The party president will take a view and a lot depends on what sort of discussion we have with the Congress party," he concluded.
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