Amid talk of leadership change in the INDIA bloc, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah backed Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, saying that he has been doing his job as the Leader of the Opposition and taking the government as well as the BJP to task.

Responding to veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s remarks that the party should leave the INDIA bloc leadership role to regional parties and suggested Banerjee’s name, Abdullah said, ‘There has been no such meeting in the India Bloc yet. So, I do not know where this is being projected’.

The J-K chief minister said Aiyar has given his personal opinion, and he has the right to his opinion. He further said, ‘But ultimately, when a decision is made, it will be by the INDIA bloc. Everyone will talk together. To date, there has been no discussion regarding leadership in any meeting of the INDIA bloc’.

Asked whether his party supports the change in the leadership, Abdullah said that while the issue of leadership has to be discussed internally within the INDIA bloc first, Gandhi has left no stone unturned to fight the BJP and the government. He asked, ‘Tell me, which stone has Rahul Gandhi left unturned to fight the BJP.  He has consistently opposed the BJP and targeted the BJP and the government on everything. That is the job of the Leader of the Opposition. What else do you want from Rahul Gandhi.’

The National Conference vice president also stated it is true that sometimes the Congress party does not succeed in an election, ‘but the job of the INDIA bloc is to take the government to task, and oppose the BJP’.

Omar Abdullah showed support for Gandhi by challenging critics to define what more is expected of the Leader of the Opposition. Abdullah’s National Conference is part of the opposition alliance.