By Zahid Wafaie
Gulmarg, February 23
Amid talk of leadership change in the INDIA bloc, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday rallied behind Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying that he has been doing his job as the Leader of the Opposition and taking the government as well as the BJP to task.
Replying to a question about suggestions that a section of the INDIA bloc is projecting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to lead the opposition alliance, Abdullah made it clear that no such meeting has taken place so far to discuss the leadership.
“So, I don’t know where this is being projected,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Khelo India winter games here.
Abdullah’s National Conference is part of the opposition alliance.
Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar had said in Kolkata on Sunday that the party should leave the INDIA bloc leadership role to regional parties and suggested Banerjee’s name.
“Now, as for Mani Shankar Aiyar, he has given his personal opinion. He has the right to his opinion; no one can say he doesn’t have the right to speak his mind,” Abdullah said, but made it clear that the decision on the leadership issue will be made by the INDIA bloc.
“But ultimately, when a decision is made, it will be by the INDIA bloc. Everyone will talk together. To date, there has been no discussion regarding leadership in any meeting of the INDIA bloc,” he said.
Abdullah showed support for Gandhi by challenging critics to define what more is expected of the Leader of the Opposition.
Turning his focus to the scrutiny surrounding Gandhi’s effectiveness, Abdullah said, “Tell me, what has Rahul Gandhi lacked in competing against the BJP?”
“He is consistently the one person who targets the BJP, always opposes the BJP and targets the government on every issue,” Abdullah said. “That is the job of the leader of the opposition. What more do you want from Rahul Gandhi?”
While acknowledging that sometimes the Congress doesn’t find success in elections, the chief minister argued that the job of the INDIA bloc is to take the government to task and oppose the BJP.
“In that regard, can someone tell me what Rahul Gandhi has lacked?” Abdullah said.
with PTI inputs
