Omar Abdullah openly supports Rahul Gandhi, makes a major statement on speculation of a leadership change in the alliance.JNM Special | Journalist Hardeep Jamwal, JammuJammu and Kashmir politics has once again become agitated. Amid ongoing discussions about a leadership change in the opposition alliance, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has openly supported Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He stated unequivocally that Rahul Gandhi is fulfilling his responsibilities as the leader of the opposition with full strength and honesty.Clear Message from GulmargSpeaking to reporters during the Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg, the Chief Minister dismissed speculation that he would hand over the leadership of the alliance to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He stated that no discussion regarding a leadership change has taken place in any official meeting so far.He said, “I am not aware of where these rumors are coming from. To date, the issue of leadership change has not been raised in any alliance meeting. The final decision will be taken collectively.”Personal Opinion vs. Alliance DecisionResponding to senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s proposal to hand over leadership to regional parties, Omar Abdullah said that this may be his personal opinion. Every leader has the right to express his views, but the decision on an alliance will be made only through collective consensus.Responding to Questions Raised on Rahul GandhiThe Chief Minister hit back at critics, saying it should be clear what else is expected from Rahul Gandhi as the leader of the opposition.He said, “He is constantly cornering the government and the Bharatiya Janata Party on issues, raising his voice from Parliament to the streets. This is the job of the opposition. What more do they want from him?”The Basic Objective of the AllianceOmar Abdullah acknowledged that while Congress often lacks electoral success, the main objective of the alliance is to hold the government accountable and democratically oppose the policies of the ruling party.This statement in Jammu and Kashmir politics comes at a time when various speculations are rife about internal discussions within the opposition camp. This clear support from Omar Abdullah indicates that at present there is no official dissatisfaction or change in leadership within the alliance.