Responding to allegations that National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah secretly met the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) President Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said that he never claimed that Mr Abdullah met the Central leadership but from sources, he came to know that he tried to do so.
"I never claimed that he met. I said that it is known from sources in Delhi that he tries to meet the Central leadership and that too only at night. I never said that he met them," Mr Azad told ANI.
However, refuting the allegations, Farooq Abdullah said that he is surprised when a senior leader like Ghulam Nabi Azad makes such statements.
"I respect Azad Sahab but when he makes such statements, I am surprised. If I have to meet PM or Amit Shah, I will meet during the day. Why should I meet at night? Why do they feel that they have to defame Farooq Abdullah all the time? When no one wanted to give a Rajya Sabha seat to Ghulam Nabi Azad, it was I who supported him. Today such statements are being made. Which are the sources which are telling you all this?" he said.
Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday 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.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar on seat sharing, the National Conference chief said, "As far as seat sharing is concerned, NC will contest alone and there's no doubt about it."
On being asked about the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the three-time former chief minister said, "I think that elections in both states will be held with the parliamentary elections."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
