Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 9: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has suggested that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, and other political parties in Delhi should decide how to effectively challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
In response to a question about the role of the INDIA alliance in supporting AAP over Congress, Omar Abdullah stated, “As of now, I can’t comment on this. We don’t have a direct stake in the Delhi assembly polls. It’s up to AAP, Congress, and the local parties to figure out the best way to contest against the BJP.”
Omar also pointed out that AAP had won the last two Delhi Assembly elections and emphasized that this time, the outcome would depend on the people’s decision. “We will have to wait and see what the people of Delhi decide,” he added.
Farooq Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and a key figure in the opposition alliance, also addressed the issue, clarifying that the alliance’s purpose goes beyond just contesting elections. “The alliance is not limited to elections. It exists to strengthen the country and remove the prevailing hatred. Those who think the alliance is only for parliamentary elections should reconsider their stance,” he said.
The Delhi Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on February 5, with vote counting scheduled for February 8. The deadline for filing nominations is January 17, with scrutiny set for January 18 and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures being January 20.
In recent years, the Congress party has struggled in Delhi, failing to secure any seats in the last two elections after holding power for 15 consecutive years. In contrast, AAP dominated the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, winning 62 out of 70 seats, while the BJP secured just eight.