Another Blow To INDI Alliance: Jammu Kashmir National Conference To Contest Lok Sabha Polls "On Its Own", Farooq Abdullah Declares

Giving another blow to the Congress-led INDI Alliance, the Jammu Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) president Farooq Abdullah announced on Thursday (15 February) that the party would contest the upcoming Lok Sabah elections "on its own".

He also expressed his belief that the Jammu-Kashmir elections will be held simultaneously with the national general elections. Talking to Aaj Tak, he said, "All options are open", indicating openness to an alliance with the BJP-led NDA.

This comes after Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) went rogue announcing Lok Sabha candidates for Assam, Goa and Gujarat unilaterally while the talks with Congress could not conclude. It offered just one seat to the Congress in Delhi.

Earlier, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee had offered just two seats to Congress in West Bengal and when the latter refused, she pledged to contest alone. However, Congress claims she is part of the INDI Alliance.

In Uttar Pradesh also, the INDI Alliance is facing troubles as Jayant Chaudhary-led RLD recently left it to join the NDA. Another UP ally, the Samajwadi Party (SP) announced 16 Lok Sabha candidates unilaterally.

Due to these developments, the Uttar Pradesh leg of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was shortened by several days and will now skip most of the western districts of Uttar Pradesh.