| CM Omar draws line, says INDIA bloc not part of Congress’s ‘Vote Chori’ campaign | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 15: A day after the Congress staged its fiery ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah drew a clear line: the campaign is Congress’ own initiative, not that of the opposition INDIA bloc.
Speaking in Srinagar on Monday, Abdullah stressed that the bloc has no role in the “Vote Chori” drive. “Every party is free to set its own agenda. The Congress has chosen ‘vote chori’ and SIR as its issues. Who are we to object?” he remarked, firmly distancing his party, the National Conference, from the campaign.
At Sunday’s rally, senior Congress leaders launched a blistering attack on the BJP and the Election Commission, alleging that “vote theft” was ingrained in the ruling party’s political culture. Rahul Gandhi vowed to escalate the campaign, promising that a future Congress government would amend laws shielding the Election Commission and hold commissioners accountable if necessary.
Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of enabling the poll body to act “in tandem with the BJP government,” framing the battle as one between “truth and untruth.” He pledged to fight with “truth and non-violence” to defeat Modi and Amit Shah.
Abdullah, who also serves as vice-president of the National Conference, earlier reiterated his support for Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)—a stance he had taken after the October 2024 J&K Assembly elections. While Congress and allies questioned EVM credibility, Abdullah cautioned against selective criticism based on electoral outcomes.
“When you celebrate victories won through EVMs, you cannot later dismiss them when results don’t favour you,” he had stated in December 2024 after Assembly polls in J&K. Drawing from personal experience, he added: “One day voters choose you; the next day they don’t. I never blamed the machines.”
The National Conference remains a constituent of the INDIA bloc, where Congress is the largest opposition party in Parliament. Yet Abdullah’s remarks underline the fractured approaches within the alliance, with Congress aggressively pursuing the “Vote Chori” narrative while allies like the NC maintain a more cautious line. |
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