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Last Update: May 07, 2023, 22:02 IST
National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah. (Photo: Twitter/@JKNC_)
“I am not sure about the unity of the opposition, but as far as the Lok Sabha elections are concerned, I think states matter now and all opposition parties should realize that,” Abdullah, 85, said.
Veteran politician and former Union minister Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said the main opposition parties should support strong regional parties as he chalked out a “one against one” strategy to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“I am not sure about the unity of the opposition, but as far as the Lok Sabha elections are concerned, I think states matter now and all opposition parties should realize this,” Abdullah, 85, said.
Citing an example, he said that if in West Bengal Mamata Banerjee Strong, “We must ensure that he does good for the TMC leader instead of creating hurdles. Similarly, if Nitish (Kumar’s JDU) and RJD are doing well in Bihar, then don’t create hurdles for them. Similarly, Akhilesh (SP’s Yadav) is doing well in Uttar Pradesh, so let us not create such a situation.
“And I think one of the most important things is that if you really want to defeat them (BJP), it should be one against the other. Where one Congress candidate can win, another should not stand there. Where the other party can win, give that party a chance to field its candidate. This is really a way to beat them at their game,” Abdullah told PTI.
Asked whether he had suggested this approach to the opposition leaders, the National Conference president said they should think what they should do. “I hope they will consider it.” The three-time Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and sitting Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar also spoke about the alleged misuse of central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax Department.
“It has been done in the past. Can’t only these (BJP) people do it. They are doing it 100 times more than others. But I hope future governments will use these agencies only to threaten the opposition. Will not do for
We should not use these agencies to threaten our opposition. Opposition is necessary in this country. And so in a democratic country, using these agencies in this way is completely wrong and should not have been done.
He said that opposition is necessary for any democratic country and said, “This is how democracy will flourish and India will become very strong in the world.”
He also said that India has fallen to 161 out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index and said, “It shows how much we have destroyed the freedom of the press….It does not bode well for democracy. Keeps an eye on and this investigation is necessary for a democratic country.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)
