The unity of India Alliance is once again under question. Congress, which was trying to corner the Modi government from Parliament to the streets, got a huge blow when its own ally distanced itself from its biggest current agenda. The statement given by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah regarding Congress’s ‘vote theft’ movement has not only deflated Rahul Gandhi’s campaign but has also given BJP the biggest weapon to attack the opposition.
Omar Abdullah has made it clear that the issue of ‘vote theft’ may be Congress’s own, but ‘India Alliance’ has nothing to do with it. His statement is being seen in political circles as a ‘big embarrassment’ and ‘showing a mirror’ to Rahul Gandhi. Seizing this opportunity, BJP has said that now its allies have also understood that it is not in their power to bear the burden of Congress’s ‘false narrative’.
What did Omar Abdullah say?
The Congress party has been raising questions on the impartiality of EVMs and the Election Commission after the results of the recent assembly elections (especially in Maharashtra). In this connection, Congress is holding rallies and demonstrations with the slogan of ‘vote theft’. When Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was asked a question about this, his answer was very blunt.
Omar Abdullah said in clear words, India alliance has nothing to do with this… Every political party has the freedom to decide its political agenda. Congress has made ‘vote theft’ its main political issue… We will choose our own issues.
Why is this statement special?
This statement of Omar Abdullah is also important because recently elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir, where his party won with an overwhelming majority. In such a situation, if they support the electoral process or ‘vote theft’, they will indirectly raise questions on their own mandate. This statement of Omar Abdullah has made it clear that the regional satraps are not ready to blindly follow every discussion of the Congress.
Amit Malviya’s sharp attack: ‘Nothing less than an embarrassment for Rahul Gandhi’
Immediately after this statement of Omar Abdullah, BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya took on Rahul Gandhi and Congress through a post on social media platform X. Based on Omar Abdullah’s statement, he said that this is evidence of severe lack of coordination in the alliance. Amit Malviya wrote, Omar Abdullah’s public separation of ‘India’ alliance over the claim of ‘vote theft’ is no less than an embarrassment for Rahul Gandhi. When allies reject such serious allegations, it exposes the lack of coordination and credibility behind the Congress narrative. Malviya further added that Omar Abdullah’s statement that “the issue of vote theft is of Congress, not of the alliance, proves that Rahul Gandhi’s own allies are not standing with him on the issues on which he is on the streets.
‘Allies are defusing Rahul’s bomb’
Apart from Amit Malviya, other BJP spokespersons have also termed this as the reality of ‘mismatched alliance’. BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala quipped that the ‘vote theft’ bomb which Rahul Gandhi was trying to explode is being defused by the leaders of his own alliance. In a way, it is the leaders of India Alliance who are diffusing the bomb of vote theft of Rahul Gandhi. Neither SP is ready to accept, nor Trinamool Congress, nor National Conference. This shows that this is not vote theft, it is actually a case of truth theft. BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari said that Omar Abdullah has once again exposed Rahul Gandhi. He said, “Omar Abdullah’s statement that vote theft is the agenda of Congress shows that Rahul Gandhi is left alone.”
Its meaning for India alliance
- Political analysts believe that this statement of Omar Abdullah is a sign of growing rift in the India alliance.
- When a key face of the alliance (Omar Abdullah) refuses to support Congress’s allegations on EVMs or the election process, Congress’s allegations lose credibility among the public.
- Regional parties (like TMC, SP, NC) know that they have to fight BJP in their respective states, but they do not want to lose their credibility by becoming a part of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘failed’ narrative.
- Isolation of Congress: Congress now seems to be isolated within the alliance on the issue of EVMs and ‘vote theft’.
- A statement by Omar Abdullah has put an end to Congress’ ‘vote theft’ campaign and has given BJP an opportunity to say that when “the people at home are not agreeing, then what will the public agree?”
