At the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi on December 6, 2025, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah delivered a candid and, at times, wry assessment of the opposition INDIA bloc’s current predicament. His remarks—peppered with sharp analogies and a dose of humor—painted a picture of an alliance beset by internal discord, strategic missteps, and a daunting rival in the BJP’s relentless electoral machine.
Abdullah did not mince words when describing the state of the INDIA bloc. “We’re sort of on life support, but every once in a while, somebody brings out his paddles and gives us a bit of a shock, and we get up again. But then, unfortunately, results like Bihar happen, and we slump down again, and then somebody has to wheel us into the ICU,” he said, according to Business Standard. The recent Bihar elections, with their disappointing outcome for the opposition, served as a focal point for his critique.
He laid a significant portion of the blame for the bloc’s troubles on its own house, specifically citing the return of Nitish Kumar to the BJP-led NDA. “I believe that we pushed Nitish Kumar back into the arms of the NDA,” Abdullah stated. The exclusion of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) from the Bihar seat-sharing arrangement, despite its presence in the state, was emblematic of what he saw as the alliance’s inability to forge cohesive strategies. “We consciously excluded JMM from Bihar, and that was a mistake,” he emphasized.
Abdullah’s analysis went beyond simple finger-pointing. He drew a stark contrast between the opposition’s approach and what he described as the BJP’s “unparalleled election machine.” The BJP, he argued, is not just well-organized and well-funded—it is driven by a work ethic that borders on obsessive. “They fight every election as if their lives depend on it. We sometimes fight elections as if we don’t care,” he remarked. He further described Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political operation as a “24x7 model,” noting, “No sooner has one election finished, they’ve already moved into the next territory. We will move into those states two months before the elections. We will be lucky if we sew up our electoral alliances before the last date of filing nominations.”
For the opposition to have any hope of mounting a serious challenge, Abdullah insisted that the Congress must take center stage. “The heavy lifting will have to be done by the Congress,” he said, pointing out that it is the only party apart from the BJP with a truly pan-India presence. Regional parties, he argued, are hamstrung by their limited geographic reach and cannot anchor a national coalition on their own.
Turning to the shifting dynamics of the Muslim electorate, Abdullah criticized traditional recipients of the community’s vote for engaging only when elections loom. “Parties that traditionally received Muslim votes have made a mistake by engaging with the community only during election time, creating space for parties like AIMIM that espouse our cause for the entire period of five years,” he noted. The rise of parties like AIMIM, which maintain continuous engagement, was, in his view, a direct consequence of this neglect.
When asked whether the 2024 general election verdict—which saw the BJP return to power but with a reduced majority—was a fluke, Abdullah disagreed. “No, I think the country sent a message to the Central government, to Prime Minister Modi and others in 2024 that things are not as rosy as you made them out to be, and that we are not happy with some of the decisions that have been taken,” he said, as reported by Hindustan Times. He observed that the Centre recalibrated its functioning post-election, shifting to a more inclusive, alliance-based approach. “From calling it a BJP government, they called themselves an NDA government. These are small changes, but they matter,” Abdullah added, suggesting that even subtle shifts in language and posture can signal deeper changes in governance style.
Abdullah also addressed a perennial topic in Indian elections: the integrity of the electronic voting machines (EVMs). He was unequivocal in distancing himself from widespread claims of EVM rigging. “I have never been a supporter of those who say that the machines are rigged,” he declared. However, he drew a distinction between outright rigging and more subtle forms of electoral manipulation. “Elections can be manipulated. And the easiest way to manipulate an election is to do it through the voter list or through the way in which you structure constituencies,” he warned.
In this context, Abdullah was particularly critical of the recent delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir. He labeled it “essentially manipulation,” asserting that the creation of new constituencies was designed to favor “one party and its one ally” by rejigging voter lists and excluding specific sections of voters. He called for any process that involves altering the voter list, such as the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), to be conducted “transparently” and “fairly” to prevent questions about bias.
On a lighter note, Abdullah revealed that his position on EVMs has led to some good-natured disagreements at home. “My dad believes everything he gets on WhatsApp,” he joked, referring to his father, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, who is convinced by allegations of rigging circulating on social media.
Abdullah’s remarks, while critical of the opposition, were not without a sense of urgency and hope. He made it clear that the INDIA bloc’s survival—and its ability to offer a credible alternative to the BJP—depends on introspection, unity, and a willingness to learn from past mistakes. The opposition, he argued, must move beyond ad hoc alliances and last-minute seat-sharing deals, and instead build a robust, nationwide movement anchored by the Congress and supported by regional partners.
As the dust settles from the Bihar elections and political parties begin to look ahead to the next round of contests, Abdullah’s warning serves as both a diagnosis and a prescription. The opposition faces formidable challenges, but, as he suggested, it is not beyond saving—provided it is willing to face hard truths and embrace fundamental change.
In India’s ever-evolving political landscape, where alliances are fragile and voters are increasingly discerning, Abdullah’s call for transparency, fairness, and continuous engagement may well be the roadmap the opposition needs if it hopes to step out of the ICU and back onto the campaign trail with renewed vigor.
