Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday said BJP needs to figure out whether Narendra Modi can deliver as many seats which the NDA seems to be losing with a key partner leaving the alliance. "There was always this possibility that with the elevation of Narendra Modi, some of the allies in the NDA would be extremely uncomfortable. I believe now the challenge for BJP is, as they gradually lose allies, they will have to figure out whether Narendra Modi can deliver that many seats."
"Because if not, then their (BJP) dream of occupying the treasury benches in Parliament will remain unfulfilled," Omar told reporters here while reacting to Janata Dal (United)'s announcement of parting ways with the NDA. Omar, whose party National Conference (NC) severed ties with NDA in 2003, said the split of JD(U) from the alliance is an advantage for the UPA.
"We were able to tie up with the NDA because it was headed by somebody like Atal Behari Vajpayee. Parties like mine could never dream of going in an alliance where the face that is to be projected, is the one that the BJP is working towards. I believe the same is true for a number of allies. You have seen the Chief Minister of Orissa, he has made a similar statement. The Chief Minister of West Bengal...they are all previous allies of NDA who will not go back to tying up with the BJP because of the face they are projecting. So clearly, with this sort of scenario, it is advantage UPA," Omar said.
The Chief Minister said it was for the Congress to decide on whether to extend the hand of friendship to JD(U) or not. "What Congress has to do or not, it is their decision. We are a part of UPA and if tomorrow Nitish Kumar joins, then obviously the alliance will be strengthened. But, will the Congress extend the hand of friendship to Nitish Kumar or not is for the Congress to decide," he said.
Omar also ruled out the formation of Third Front before the elections. "Third Front has never been formed before the elections. It has come to existence only after elections. Even today, I do not think there is any room for the formation of a Third Front, because whom will you project as a leader.
"The day you announce the formation of a Third Front, there will be a tussle over leadership. And everyone would want to project himself for the post of Prime Minister. If it (Third Front) comes to existence, it can but only after elections," he added.
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