Cracks in INDIA bloc? Omar Abdullah distances alliance from Congress’s ‘vote chori’ push

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday sought to clearly distance the opposition INDIA bloc from the Congress’s allegations of “vote chori”, saying the issue has nothing to do with the coalition.

His remarks come a day after senior Congress leaders targeted the BJP and election commissioners at a ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod’ rally in New Delhi. At the rally, the Congress alleged that “vote chori” was ingrained in the ruling party’s DNA and accused its leaders of conspiring to undermine people’s voting rights.

Abdullah’s National Conference is a constituent of the INDIA bloc, while the Congress remains the largest party in the alliance in terms of Lok Sabha MPs.

Responding to questions on the Congress’s allegations of electoral irregularities, Abdullah said, “The INDIA bloc has got nothing to do with it. Every political party is at liberty to set its own agenda. The Congress has made ‘vote chori’ and SIR as its main issues. Who are we to tell them otherwise?”

The Congress has claimed it has collected around six crore signatures against what it calls “vote theft” and plans to submit them to the President of India.

*With PTI inputs