Farooq Abdullah denies secret night meetings with Modi and Shah, challenges accuser Ghulam Nabi Azad

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah has vehemently refuted allegations made by former Congress stalwart Ghulam Nabi Azad. Azad had claimed that Abdullah had clandestine meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as Home Minister Amit Shah, during the late hours of the night.

Abdullah, speaking to the media on Monday, rebuffed Azad's assertions, asserting that if the need arose to meet with Modi or Shah, he would do so openly during the day. He challenged Azad to disclose the identities of the purported agents allegedly present at the residences of BJP leaders, insinuating that such claims lacked substance.

The NC leader further questioned Azad's motivations, highlighting their past political interactions, including providing Azad with a Rajya Sabha seat when no one else would. "What is the reason that he has thought of defaming Farooq Abdullah?" he questioned, suggesting a possible ulterior motive behind Azad's accusations.

Azad's initial claims, made during an interview with India Today, stirred controversy, with accusations of Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah engaging in secretive discussions with the BJP leadership. However, Azad later clarified his statements, stating that he had only learned about such meetings through sources and media reports, and had not explicitly stated that they had occurred.

In response, Omar Abdullah, also a prominent figure within the NC, clarified the party's political stance, emphasizing its role within the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). He revealed ongoing discussions with the Congress regarding electoral arrangements in three of the six Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Meanwhile, Farooq Abdullah announced the NC's intention to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and potential assembly polls in the Union Territory independently, signaling a divergence from potential alliances.