As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gains a significant lead in the Delhi assembly elections, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took a playful jab at his INDIA bloc partners, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Abdullah, a senior leader of the National Conference (NC), which is also part of the opposition alliance, posted a meme on X, which humorously read, “Jee bhar kar lado. Samaapt kardo ek dusre ko!” (Fight to your heart’s content. End it with each other!) along with the caption, “Aur lado aapas mein!!!” (Fight amongst yourselves some more!).
This comment came as early trends showed the BJP leading in 41 seats out of the 70-member Delhi Assembly, while both Congress and AAP were showing signs of a loss. The sharp remark seemed directed at Congress and AAP’s decision to contest the Delhi elections separately, despite being part of the same INDIA alliance.
Omar Abdullah had previously raised doubts about the very purpose of the INDIA bloc, questioning the unity within the opposition alliance.
As per the latest trends from the Election Commission, the BJP has crossed the majority mark with a lead in 40 seats, while AAP is currently ahead in 30. A total of 36 seats is required to form the government in Delhi.
The AAP is seeking a third consecutive term in power, while the BJP is pushing hard to reclaim control after more than two decades.
Exit polls released on Wednesday gave the BJP an edge, although AAP leaders have expressed confidence, claiming that exit polls often underestimate their performance. The BJP’s campaign, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focused on issues like the pollution in the Yamuna River and the renovation of Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence.
In addition to the Delhi results, by-elections for the Milkipur seat in Uttar Pradesh and the Erode seat in Tamil Nadu are also underway.
