“NC, PDP will remain part of INDIA bloc”: Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi [India], February 15 (ANI): Even though National Conference chief Abdullah announced that his party will contest the upcoming parliamentary elections alone, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday that the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have been a part of the INDIA bloc and will remain so.

Earlier today, National Conference Chief Abdullah announced that his party will contest alone in the upcoming parliamentary elections, a decision that is seen as another setback for the opposition coalition INDIA bloc.

Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh told ANI, “Talks are going on. Every party has its own limitations. National Conference and PDP have been a part of the INDIA bloc, and will continue to remain so.”

NC Chief Abdullah, earlier today, said, “As far as seat sharing is concerned, NC will contest alone and there’s no doubt about it.”

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc suffered a huge setback earlier in January this year after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) vowed to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha polls alone in West Bengal.

Recently, the Rashtriya Lok Dal in UP also walked out of the alliance and partnered with the NDA.

Later in January, one of the key architects of the INDIA bloc, Janata Dal (Secular) chief Nitish Kumar, pulled out of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar and re-aligned with the BJP-led NDA.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Aam Aadmi Party offered the Congress Party a single Lok Sabha seat in Delhi. This is contrary to earlier reports that suggested a 3-4 formula between Congress and AAP in Delhi.

Further, AAP MP Sandeep Pathak said that even though the Congress party does not merit even a single seat in Delhi, in the spirit of alliance, the AAP party is willing to offer one seat.

The AAP plans to field candidates in the remaining six seats in Delhi, Pathak added.

As the Lok Sabha elections approach, political parties across the spectrum are ramping up their efforts to connect with voters. With the BJP bringing on new partners like the RLD on its platform the INDIA bloc is making efforts to put up a united front.