Omar, Farooq Abdullah secretly met PM Modi, Amit Shah at night, says Ghulam Nabi Azad

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Democratic Progressive Azad Party chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, on Monday said Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah, who lead the National Conference party, held secret meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at night. 

He also alleged duplicity on the part of the Abdullah family. Azad told India Today TV in an exclusive conversation that the Abdullahs "say one thing in Srinagar, another in Jammu, and something else in Delhi".

To substantiate his point further, he also quoted an interview wherein Farooq Abdullah hinted at joining the BJP-led NDA alliance in the future. This, however, was later denied by his son and former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. 

"What Farooq told India Today wasn't a slip of tongue. Farooq and Omar are trying to please both the government and the opposition," Azad said. 

Farooq Abdullah hints at NC going solo in Lok Sabha, Assembly polls 

In a huge setback to the INDIA alliance, the former J&K Chief Minister said the National Conference will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and Assembly polls alone on all seats.

He, however, did not rule out the likelihood of returning to the NDA fold. The J&K politics veteran said seat-sharing talks with the INDIA alliance parties have failed. 

"As far as seat-sharing is concerned, I want to make it clear the National Conference will contest elections on its own strength. There are no two opinions about it," he told reporters. 

Also Read: Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Farooq Abdullah's NC to go solo in J&K in another setback to INDIA bloc

Were Abdullahs in talks with BJP to form an alliance in 2014?

In a shocker, Azad claimed that the Abdullahs made calculated efforts to form an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014. 

He further mentioned that both the National Conference and the Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were in a tug of war to form a government with the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir.

Did Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah know about Article 370 abrogation?

Ghulam Nabi Azad further claimed that a meeting was held between the Abdullahs and PM Modi on August 3, 2019, before Article 370 was abrogated. Reports also suggested that the Abdullahs were taken into confidence about the decision and placing leaders under house arrest. 

Also Read: Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Modi, Bachchans over Ram Temple event, says...