Jammu &amp; Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah&rsquo;s sharp assessment of the INDIA opposition bloc calling it &ldquo;on life support&rdquo;, has ignited a fresh political row, exposing cracks among partners and offering the BJP a moment of amusement. Speaking at a leadership summit, Abdullah said the alliance repeatedly &ldquo;slumps back into the ICU&rdquo; after electoral setbacks, underscoring the bloc&rsquo;s inability to maintain momentum after Bihar&rsquo;s unexpected political reversal.
In a pointed remark, Abdullah argued that the opposition coalition&rsquo;s strategic missteps helped &ldquo;push Nitish Kumar back to the NDA,&rdquo; and criticised its failure to accommodate allies like Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in the Bihar seat-sharing arrangement. His comments, unusually candid for a key member of the grouping, sparked both discomfort and agreement within INDIA&rsquo;s ranks.
RJD MP Manoj Jha delivered one of the toughest responses, urging Abdullah to introspect instead of taunting allies. &ldquo;If the alliance is on life support, Omar is also part of it. Responsibility doesn&rsquo;t end with commentary,&rdquo; he said, reminding leaders that unity must be built, not merely demanded. Congress leaders, however, downplayed talk of discord, insisting Abdullah remained firmly within the INDIA camp and raising concerns only to strengthen the alliance.
The BJP seized the opportunity to ridicule its rivals, with senior leader Shahnawaz Hussain declaring that the alliance &ldquo;is not on life support, it has already collapsed.&rdquo; As the opposition grapples with fragile cohesion and public disagreement among its top faces, Abdullah&rsquo;s remarks have intensified scrutiny over whether INDIA can offer a credible alternative as political realignments deepen ahead of the next polls.

INDIA Bloc Row After Omar’s ‘Life Support’ Jibe

Abdullah’s blunt critique splits allies as BJP mocks opposition unity crisis

INDIA Bloc Row After Omar’s ‘Life Support’ Jibe

Abdullah’s blunt critique splits allies as BJP mocks opposition unity crisis

December 8, 2025 | 02:20 IST