National Conference Joins INDIA Bloc for Elections, Ladakh Seat in Focus: Omar Abdullah’s Statement

01-10-2023 : The National Conference (NC) and the Congress have joined forces to contest the upcoming elections in a strategic alliance known as the INDIA bloc. While preparations for the general elections in the coming year are underway, discussions regarding the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat are set to take place during the seat-sharing negotiations. National Conference Vice-President, Omar Abdullah, has affirmed his party’s commitment to the opposition alliance and highlighted the importance of determining candidate allocations within the INDIA bloc.

Addressing questions about a potential pre-poll alliance between the National Conference and the Congress, especially following the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil (LAHDC-Kargil) election, Omar Abdullah emphasized the significance of seat-sharing negotiations within the alliance. He asserted that the road to political collaboration and decision-making begins and ends with the INDIA alliance, signaling that his party is fully aligned with this opposition coalition.

The National Conference and the Congress have united their efforts for the upcoming elections. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the National Conference supported the Congress, but the seat was ultimately won by the BJP.

Omar Abdullah raised concerns about his security arrangements during his visit to Kargil to campaign for National Conference candidates in the upcoming LAHDC-Kargil election, scheduled for October 4. He disclosed that, on the authorities’ orders, he had to relinquish his security detail at the Zero Point, a significant location en route to Kargil and Drass where he was scheduled to address a public gathering.

This marked his third visit to Kargil since the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories, Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Omar Abdullah expressed his understanding of the situation, noting that the BJP appeared to be in a state of panic. He expressed confidence in the support of the people and placed his trust in a higher power. According to the National Conference, Abdullah’s security was halted at Zero Point, near Mini Marg, which serves as the entry point to Ladakh on the Srinagar-Leh Highway. The party further claimed that the Ladakh Union Territory administration had exhibited a lack of courage by preventing Abdullah’s security from proceeding and asserted that he was “forced” to continue his two-day visit to Kargil without security.