India elections 2024: Omar Abdullah takes swipe at Mehbooba Mufti's PDP amid J&K seat-sharing talks
Mehbooba Mufti-Omar Abdullah
In a pointed remark directed at Mehbooba Mufti's People's Democratic Party (PDP), former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah declared on Friday (March 8) that he would never have joined the INDIA alliance if he had known it would require compromising his party's strength for another member of the alliance, especially one that secured the third position in the last election.
Also read:Philanthropist, author Sudha Murty gets nominated to Rajya Sabha; PM Modi hails 'Nari Shakti'
Abdullah emphasised that a party standing at number 3 has no legitimate claim to demand a seat, questioning the basis for PDP's requests.
Expressing his dissatisfaction with the ongoing seat-sharing talks within the alliance, Abdullah stated that had he been informed about the necessity of weakening his own party for another alliance member, he would have refrained from joining the INDIA alliance.
This recent revelation adds to the growing discord within the alliance in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah had announced the party's decision to go solo in the elections, although Omar Abdullah had initially clarified the party's commitment to the INDIA bloc without any apparent cracks.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
However, the current rift between the National Conference and the PDP suggests significant challenges in achieving a unified front.
Referring to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP secured victories in Ladakh, Udhampur Jammu, and the National Conference claimed victories in Baramulla, Srinagar and Anantnag, Omar Abdullah highlighted the PDP's third-place finish with less than four percent of the vote share.
He emphasised his reluctance to compromise the Anantnag seat for the PDP and specified that his party would consider relinquishing the seat only if contested by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, or Priyanka Gandhi—not for Mehbooba Mufti's party.
The unfolding dynamics within the INDIA alliance underscore the challenges and differences among its members, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.
(With inputs from agencies)