Omar Abdullah (PTI image)

NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said that the opposition INDIA alliance is currently “on life support”. He said that internal infighting is weakening its ability to challenge the BJP.Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi, Abdullah said the opposition bloc is struggling to function as a united force against the ruling party’s strong election machinery.“We’re sort of on life support, but every once in a while somebody brings out his paddles and gives us a bit of a shock and we get up again. But then results like Bihar happen, and we slump down again, and then somebody has to wheel us into the ICU,” the National Conference leader said.Referring to the recent election results in Bihar, where the INDIA alliance suffered a massive defeat against the NDA, he blamed the opposition bloc for driving Nitish Kumar back into the ruling alliance.“I believe that we pushed Nitish Kumar back into the arms of the NDA,” he said.He also pointed to organisational failures within the INDIA bloc, including the decision to exclude the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) from the Bihar seat-sharing arrangement, despite the party’s presence in the state. According to Abdullah, the alliance has failed to take cohesive and strategic decisions.He said the BJP begins preparing for the next election almost immediately after one ends, while the opposition often starts its preparations only months before polls, sometimes finalising alliances just before the last date for filing nominations.When asked if the outcome of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was a fluke, Abdullah rejected the suggestion. “No, I think the country sent a message to the Central government and to Prime Minister Modi in 2024 that things are not as rosy as they were made out to be,” he said.He also said that after the 2024 elections, the Centre showed that it can work in an alliance format. “From calling it a BJP government, they called themselves an NDA government. These are small changes, but they matter,” Abdullah said. He added that the government’s style of functioning has become more consultative.

BJP hits back

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, reacting to Abdullah’s remarks said that he had “shown a mirror” to the INDIA alliance.In a post on X, Poonawalla wrote: “Omar Abdullah shows a mirror to INDI.”

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He added that the INDI alliance, led by the Congress, pushed Nitish Kumar out, gave an “unfair deal” to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Bihar.“INDI alliance ( read Congress ) pushed out Nitish Kumar ji. INDI alliance gave unfair deal to JMM in Bihar so if they leave don’t be surprised,” his post read.Poonawalla further said that the NDA is a “Majboot alliance” with a clear mission and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its leader and called Congress a “Majboor alliance of ambition and corruption”.“NDA is Majboot alliance full of mission & vision with Modi ji as leader. Indi is Majboor alliance of ambition and corruption with Rahul Baba at helm,” he wrote.Poonawalla also said that Abdullah’s party has earlier taken positions different from other INDIA bloc partners, including on issues related to alleged “vote chori”.(with inputs from PTI)