'We have to congratulate the BJP now...': Omar Abdullah on saffron party's clean sweep in three states

After the results of the Assembly polls showed the BJP taking a significant lead in three of the four states, National Conference Vice President and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday said that “we have to congratulate the BJP now because we were not expecting this” and specifically praised saffron party’s win for the fifth term in Madhya Pradesh.

Addressing reporters in J&K’s Udhampur on Sunday, Abdullah said, “We have to congratulate the BJP now because we were not expecting this. We were hearing that the Congress would easily win Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh… They said that in Rajasthan too they will lead at the end. But after the results, all the claims proved to be baseless….” He said that the BJP has been in power for 20 years now and this is not ordinary. “In Madhya Pradesh, it has been 20 years (of BJP). It is the 5th term now. This is not ordinary,” said Abdullah. He said that the Congress leadership has called for an INDI Alliance meeting on December 6. “It is good that they remembered about it again after three months…,” said Abdullah in an apparent dig at the bloc. According to News 18, as of 4:45 pm, BJP is leading with 166 seats in MP, 114 in Rajasthan and 54 in Chhattisgarh. Congress is leading Telangana with 68 seats. With inputs from agencies