Srinagar: In another setback to the Opposition INDIA bloc, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said his party would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election alone on all seats while hinting that he may re-join the BJP-led NDA in the future.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Farooq Abdullah said the National Conference would contest the polls on its merits without stitching an alliance with other political parties. The former J&K Chief Minister, however, didn’t rule out the possibility of returning to the NDA fold.
The National Conference was part of the NDA when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was at the helm. The veteran J&K leader said seat-sharing talks with the INDIA alliance constituents had failed. “As far as seat sharing is concerned, I want to make it clear the National Conference will contest elections on its own strength. There are no two opinions about it,” Abdullah told reporters.
The cracks between the INDIA bloc and the National Conference have been visible since last month itself. In January, the former CM said some opposition parties might form a separate alliance if the seat-sharing formula was not decided soon. Last month, several top leaders of the National Conference (NC) in the Jammu region joined the BJP.
