Vikram Sharma
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Congress leaders have maintained a guarded silence over two consecutive statements made by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, but signs of discontent within the coalition are emerging.
A Congress MP has taken serious note of Abdullah’s remarks on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), fueling tensions between the coalition partners.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore criticized Omar Abdullah for his comments on EVMs, questioning his change of approach towards INDIA bloc allies after becoming Jammu and Kashmir’s chief minister. Tagore pointed out that parties such as the Samajwadi Party (SP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Shiv Sena (UBT) have also raised concerns about the reliability of EVMs.
“It’s the Samajwadi Party, NCP, and Shiv Sena (UBT) that have spoken against EVMs. Please check your facts, CM Omar Abdullah,” Tagore asserted, in a direct challenge to Abdullah’s statements.
The Congress leadership in Jammu and Kashmir is particularly worried as its hopes for a ministerial berth and a Rajya Sabha seat are now uncertain. Omar Abdullah’s recent statements, seen as sharp criticism of the Congress, have heightened fears that the National Conference (NC) may not be willing to further accommodate its coalition partner.
The first statement by Abdullah questioned Congress’s dominance within the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). In his second remark, Abdullah endorsed the BJP’s stance on EVMs, which has caused further discomfort for the Congress. These comments have not only embarrassed the Congress leadership but also exposed growing cracks in the coalition.
Congress leaders fear Abdullah’s statements are a clear indication that the National Conference is consolidating its position. With support from Independents and MLAs from the CPM and Aam Aadmi Party, the NC has secured a comfortable majority in the Assembly. This further reduces the Congress’s leverage within the government.
Adding to the controversy, Omar Abdullah criticized Congress’s inconsistent stance on EVMs. He highlighted that the Congress celebrates victories achieved through the same EVMs it later questions when election results are unfavorable.
“When you get a hundred-plus members of Parliament using the same EVMs, and you celebrate that as a victory for your party, you can’t then a few months later turn around and say… we don’t like these EVMs because now the election results aren’t going the way we would like them to,” Abdullah said in an interview.
Abdullah’s remarks have placed Congress in a difficult position, forcing the party to balance its alliance with the NC while addressing internal frustrations over its diminishing influence in Jammu and Kashmir’s political milieu.
