'Hardly hypothetical, why not deny?': Omar Abdullah rebuts Jitin Prasada's cryptic response over jumping from Congress to BJP

Omar Abdullah has questioned Jitin Prasada of not giving a 'categorical denial' after the floating speculations of UPA former Minister jumping from Congress to BJP.

The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir in a tweet questioned the leader for not giving a 'categorical denial' and said that it is 'hardly a hypothetical question' 

This comes after the Congress leader was questioned by the media over the rumours of him joining BJP, to which the leader giving a cryptic response did not consolidate on the claims, but neither did he refuse the rumours.

It was known that hectic parlays are known to be ongoing between senior Congress leaders and Jitin Prasada as the party attempts to keep him on-board. 

READ| ANOTHER Setback For Congress: Former UPA Minister Jitin Prasada Expected To Join BJP, Days After Campaigning With Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

Calling the claims 'hypothetical' he refused to clear the air over the speculations.

He said, "Where is this coming from? If they are saying in the evening, I will join then its evening already. You ask them."

"No, why should I answer hypothetical questions," he said before walking away. 

The development is especially critical given that Prasada had campaigned closely with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the short time that she has been an official member of the Congress. Further, he is the latest in what is quickly becoming a long list of Congress leaders to jump ship, the most recent being long-time Congress loyalist Tom Vadakkan.

Jitin Prasada had held three ministries in under the UPA governments, starting with being MoS Steel, then MoS Petroleum and Natural Gas, then MoS Road Transport and Highways, and finally, MoS in the Human Resources Development ministry.

Prasada, now 45, is a Congress long-timer given his age, having joined the Youth Congress in 2001. He won his first election to the Lok Sabha in 2004 from Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur, and then again five years later from Dhaurara. However, following the Congress' debacle in the 2014 elections, he also failed to win his election to the Uttar Pradesh assembly in 2017.

At the BJP's end, on the other hand, cricketer Gautam Gambhir has strengthened the party's ranks by joining on Friday. Gambhir, who has been outspoken on a range of political and people's issues in the recent past, credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision as having played a role in his decision to enter politics.

WATCH: Full BJP Briefing As Gautam Gambhir Is Inducted Into The Party By Arun Jaitley And Ravi Shankar Prasad