“Why BJP suddenly revived idea of NDA”: Omar Abdullah
Jul 18, 2023
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 18 : As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) decided to hold a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the National Capital on Tuesday, coinciding with the Opposition party meeting which was convened in Karnataka’s Bengaluru, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah slammed the party for ‘suddenly reviving the idea of NDA’.
"When was the last time an NDA meeting was held? Why have they (BJP) suddenly revived the idea of NDA? For them (BJP) alliance has become a necessity...,” Omar Abdullah said while talking to the reporters here.
Omar Abdullah was among the leaders of 26 like-minded parties that were part of the second Opposition meeting held in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
A meeting of 38 parties of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was convened in the national capital on Tuesday.
On the other hand, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti who was also representing the Union Territory with Abdullah said that everything on which the country stands is at stake.
“This is not a time for us to be proud of whatever is happening in the country because people outside our country are pointing fingers at us... So I think today our country, not only internally we are going through a turmoil where the very existence on which our country stands, everything is at stake,” Mufti said.
The second and concluding day of the opposition unity meeting in Bengaluru was held, with 26 like-minded parties closing ranks with a common aim of taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next year's Lok Sabha polls.
In the meeting, it was decided that the Opposition front will be known as
I.N.D.I.A - the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
On Tuesday, while addressing the media after the meeting, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Earlier, we were UPA and now all the 26 parties have given a name to the opposition and that is – Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). Everybody has agreed upon this, and the resolution for the name was passed unanimously.”
He further said, “The BJP wants to destroy democracy, Constitution, using autonomous bodies like CBI, ED, vigilance all such institutions against opposition party leaders and workers. This is a grave situation. We have come together to save this situation. How to save the country and the people of the country -- this is the issue before us.”
Asked who will lead the alliance, Kharge said, "We are making a coordination committee of 11. At that meeting in Mumbai, we will decide on who the 11 will be, who the Convenor will be, etc. These are small things".
Kharge further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is afraid of opposition parties coming together.
“NDA is holding a meeting with 30 parties. I have not heard about so many parties in India. Earlier they didn't hold any meetings but now they are meeting one by one (with NDA parties) PM Modi is now afraid of opposition parties. We have gathered here to save democracy and the Constitution,” Kharge said.