There is no leader with a Pan India acceptability who can take on Modi in 2019: Omar Abdullah

Omar Abdullah (File Photo)

Living in denial and never introspecting is a classic trait of politicians in general. Therefore, it is common to see politicians coming up with a number of excuses and playing the blame game when they are defeated. Not many have the stomach to admit that the victorious team and its leader must have done something right. This is particularly true in case of PM Narendra Modi. More often than not every victory of his is written off as a ‘fluke’ or ‘stroke of good luck’ and if he fails by chance then ‘communalism can never win’ and other such theories come up. Hence, it comes as a real surprise that Ex Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir Omar Abdullah would concede defeat, well almost, for Lok Sabha election which is around a couple of years away.

Even if he didn’t say it in so many words he did admit that PM Modi and BJP ran a positive campaign by talking on issues of development. On the other hand the opposition was simply clueless and had no effective counter-narrative. He tweeted that all the opposition did was criticize the PM rather than explaining to the people why and how they were a credible alternative to BJP. He also expressed concern regarding the fact that there is no leader of PM Modi’s stature who has mass appeal across the country. Wish other politicians were as honest in their analysis and introspected sooner than later.

At this rate we might as well forget 2019 & start planning/hoping for 2024.

— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

In a nutshell there is no leader today with a pan India acceptability who can take on Modi & the BJP in 2019.

— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

I've said this before & I'll say it again the voter needs to be given an alternative agenda that is based on what we will do better.

— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

Criticising the PM will only take us so far. The voter needs to know there is an option available to them that has a clear +ve road map.

— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017

How the hell did almost all the experts/analysts miss this wave in UP? It's a tsunami not a ripple in a small pond.

— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017