Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Just after Omar Abdullah said that PDP being third number party must not ask for seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said that she was disappointed with ‘Farooq Sahib’ announcing that Gupkar alliance between PDP and Abdullah's National Conference is ended. Mehbooba Mufti said that she will herself inform the Congress party as she is still a part of the Opposition rainbow coalition INDI alliance. 

Mehbooba Mufti addressed the reporters in Kashmir on Friday and blamed the Abdullahs for the alliance coming to an end. Mehbooba Mufti highlighted that the National Conference announced that it will contest on three seats without consulting the PDP, despite both the parties being members of two alliances- INDI and Gupkar. 

“We (PDP) made a lot of efforts, but he (Omar Abdullah) declared that they'll contest all three seats, without any consultation from us,” said Mehbooba Mufti. “Omar Abdullah himself said that they're not in the alliance. We wanted The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to continue but everyone knows who ended this PAGD. PAGD was a democratic and unique alliance but the way it has been dispersed is very disappointing. Jammu & Kashmir is a laboratory for whatever is happening in the country that is facing a big challenge and hence we should have made a collective effort,” the PDP chief said. 

On the question of future course of action, Mehbooba Mufti said, “We will talk to Congress as we are in the INDI alliance and see how to go forward.” 

Omar Abduallah Adamant on 3 Seats

Earlier in the day, Omar Abdullah had categorically stated that he would not be part of any alliance which weakens the National Conference, adding that he would not compromise on seat-sharing with Mehbooba Mufti's PDP. 

“I have already told you that the party that stands on number 3 has no right to ask for a seat. How many people are there with PDP today who brought them to the third place? If I had been told before joining INDIA alliance that we would have to weaken ourselves for another member of the alliance, then I would have never joined the INDIA alliance,” said Abdullah. 

Since beginning, Abdullah has been adamant that he will field National Conference leaders on 3 parliamentary seats which is currently held by the party in Kashmir, while he was open for an alliance on Jammu, Udhampur and Kargil.