Srinagar, October 14 : The already fragile alliance between the National Conference (NC) and Congress in Jammu and Kashmir appears to be nearing a breaking point, as Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President Tariq Hamid Karra launched a scathing attack on the Omar Abdullah-led NC, accusing it of “repeated betrayal of trust” and “political manipulation” over the Rajya Sabha seat allocation.
Speaking to reporters following an internal review meeting, Karra expressed sharp disappointment with the NC’s refusal to allocate a “safe seat” to Congress in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for October 24. He said the episode had exposed the NC’s “questionable motives” and showed that the regional party was moving away from the INDIA bloc’s spirit of cooperation and collective opposition to the BJP.
“By denying the Congress a single safe seat, the National Conference has made its intentions clear. Their backtracking reflects a deliberate attempt to marginalise the Congress and gain unilateral control within the alliance. This is not just a political miscalculation but a moral failure,” Karra said.
According to party sources, the JKPCC’s Core Committee met on Sunday to evaluate the deteriorating alliance dynamics and unanimously concluded that the NC’s conduct amounted to a breach of faith. “We have forwarded our report to the party high command for further direction,” Karra confirmed, adding that Congress would now “rethink its position in Jammu and Kashmir’s alliance framework.”
The Congress leader recalled that the NC President, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, had explicitly promised one safe seat to the Congress during discussions with senior party leaders in Delhi. “That assurance was not only political but symbolic of trust. Their failure to honour it marks a blatant betrayal of alliance dharma,” Karra said.
The National Conference had announced three Rajya Sabha candidates last week, offering Congress the fourth seat under a shared notification. Congress, however, declined to contest, calling the seat “unsafe” and strategically unviable. The NC went on to field a fourth candidate independently, which Karra described as a “calculated affront.”
“The NC is tactically aligning itself closer to the BJP while accusing others of being soft towards the ruling party. The hypocrisy is glaring,” he said. Karra further accused the NC of adopting a “dominant partner mindset,” marginalising Congress in decision-making on key issues such as the restoration of statehood and coordination on protests.
He cited the NC-led cabinet’s recent resolution on statehood restoration, which was passed without prior consultation with Congress. “Such unilateral decisions betray the essence of coalition governance,” he remarked.
Karra also pointed to a series of “provocative statements” made by NC leaders that, according to him, undermined Congress’s role within the alliance. He referenced Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s remarks urging Congress to “focus outside Kashmir” during election campaigns, calling it “disrespectful and divisive.”
Even more concerning for Congress, Karra said, were Abdullah’s statements that appeared to “praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi” and indicate a “soft stance toward the BJP.” “When the Chief Minister says, ‘Whatever the Prime Minister says, he fulfills,’ it sends a dangerous message to the people and blurs the line between opposition and accommodation,” he added.
The Congress chief highlighted that despite being the senior alliance partner with a legacy of national credibility and organisational strength, Congress had “sacrificed its rightful share” during the 2024 Assembly elections to maintain opposition unity. “We accepted an unfair seat-sharing arrangement in the larger interest of the nation, but the NC has taken that goodwill for granted,” he said.
Karra said that Congress would now explore ways to reassert its independent identity in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape, moving away from what he termed “the crutches of unreliable partnerships.” “We seek a future where Congress stands on its own strength, guided by principles of accountability, inclusiveness, and people-first governance,” he said.
Political analysts believe the widening rift between the two parties could reshape alliance equations within the INDIA bloc, especially as the Rajya Sabha elections approach. With 41 MLAs, the NC enjoys a comfortable majority within the ruling coalition, but the Congress’s six members, along with Independents, had provided vital legislative stability.
For now, the Congress has drawn a clear line, suggesting that the era of quiet compromise with the NC may be ending. As Karra put it, “Our patience should not be mistaken for weakness. Trust, once broken, is difficult to rebuild. The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve transparency, not transactional politics.”