'Let Me Make It Clear...': Omar Abdullah Confirms NC Won't Join NDA

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah stated on Thursday that his party would not be joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

The ex-chief minister stated that certain individuals try to undermine the NC whenever they perceive the party is gaining strength.

He reportedly said, "Conspiracies are hatched and statements are presented in a distorted manner."

"Let me make it clear that there is no food, window or even a crack open for the NDA. We are not going to knock at their doors and there is no possibility of us joining them," Omar Abdullah, who is vice president of the party, told reporters here.

In response to an allegation that NC president Farooq Abdullah suggested the potential for his party to join the NDA bloc, he confirmed about his stance.

On assembly elections

Omar Abdullah said the NC would want to win enough seats to undo the changes made by the BJP.

Abdullah said, "Our aim is to come back (to the assembly) with sizeable number of seats so that we can start to undo the damage that the BJP has done to Jammu and Kashmir since 2019. To undo the damage, we obviously cannot be part of the NDA.

"Our entire campaign at that time, when assembly elections happen, will be to target the BJP for everything they have done to Jammu and Kashmir. So, saying that we are preparing to join the NDA is a wrong, falsehood and without any basis," he added.

On seat-sharing with INDIA bloc

Omar Abdullah said his father's comment on seat sharing with the Congress-led INDIA bloc and going alone in the forthcoming Parliament elections were also taken out of context.

"The party president, while coming out of a meeting, voiced the sentiment of the party cadres that NC should contest the polls alone. Our stand on seat sharing has been very clear right from day one. There are six Lok Sabha seats in erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Three are with NC and three with BJP.

"We are open to discussing seat sharing with the Congress on the three seats that are with BJP right now," he added.

He ruled out any discussions on sharing of seats in the Kashmir valley as these seats are already with the NC.

"If the aim of INDIA alliance is (to) stop BJP, then why ask for the seats which are already with INDIA alliance. If the aim is to strengthen your party (Congress), then you have come to the alliance with wrong aim," he added.

On 'one nation, one election'

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday said it has been 10 years since assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held and said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi was so keen on "one nation, one election", he should start it from the Union territory.

The National Conference has been pitching for early conduct of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The prime minister has made the process of 'one nation, one election' a personal challenge. It is believed that the PM wants 'one nation, one election' to be implemented in the country. If that is the case, Modiji should start from Jammu and Kashmir. It has been 10 years since we saw an (assembly) election. How long will he make us wait?" Abdullah asked.

He was responding to a question from reporters on the likely visit of the prime minister to Jammu next week.

"It is good that he is coming. We will get to hear from him how much development has taken place since 2019, which projects have come up as we cannot see any major project.

"And we would like to hear when elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir.... We would also like to hear from the PM as to how that Centre is going to act on the Supreme Court directions on holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir before September 30," he said.