Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) Vice President, Omar Abdullah, emphasized that the Congress party must deeply analyze the reasons behind its defeat in Haryana, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to secure a third consecutive term in office.
Critique of Exit Polls
In a statement to the press, Abdullah expressed skepticism about the accuracy of exit polls, which had previously predicted a Congress majority in Haryana. “I had already said we were wasting our time with these exit polls. No one could have expected such a drastic shift. If the numbers had shifted slightly, from 18 to 20 or from 30 to 60, we could have understood. But it went the opposite way,” he remarked.
Need for Introspection
Abdullah stressed the need for Congress to undertake a comprehensive introspection to understand the underlying causes of its electoral defeat.
Commitment to the Alliance
Despite the setbacks in Haryana, he reiterated his commitment to leading the NC and supporting the ongoing alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, where the NC and Congress are poised to form a government—the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.