SRINAGAR, Aug 26: After intense negotiations, the National Conference (NC) and Congress have finalized their seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The deal was struck after the Congress leadership sent senior leaders KC Venugopal and Salman Khurshid to Srinagar to meet with NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah. The discussions, held at the Gupkar residence of Dr. Farooq Abdullah, also involved local Congress leaders, including G.A. Mir.
Following a day of discussions, the two parties reached an agreement to contest a total of 83 seats, with the NC fielding candidates in 51 constituencies and the Congress in 32. Additionally, one seat each has been allocated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) and the Panthers Party. However, the NC and Congress could not reach a consensus on five key seats—Sopore, Banihal, Bhaderwah, Doda, and Nagrota—where they have decided to hold a “friendly contest.”
The discussions resumed in the afternoon, with a second round of talks in the evening to finalize the seat-sharing deal. Addressing the media, Dr. Farooq Abdullah expressed satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing that the meetings were conducted in a cordial atmosphere. He reiterated that the alliance, formed under the banner of the INDI Alliance, aims to counter forces attempting to divide the nation on communal lines. Abdullah was joined by Congress leaders, including General Secretary K.C. Venugopal and JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra.
Karra, speaking on the alliance, highlighted that the seat-sharing arrangement was reached amicably, with only five contentious constituencies remaining. He also confirmed that the CPI(M) and Panthers Party have been allotted one seat each. The “friendly contest” between the NC and Congress will occur on three seats in the Doda region, including Banihal, where former Congress President Vikar Rasool Wani will face NC’s Sajad Shaheen, Doda, where NC’s Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy will contest against Congress’s Riaz Ahmed Sheikh, and Bhaderwah, where Congress’s Nadeem Sharief will compete with NC’s Mehboob Iqbal.
K.C. Venugopal dismissed BJP’s criticism of the NC-Congress alliance, pointing out that the BJP has previously allied with both the NC and the PDP. He also mentioned that a common minimum program would be established if the alliance forms the next government, adding that the BJP has betrayed the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar Abdullah, speaking later, explained that the decision to allow a friendly contest in five seats was made because both parties found it challenging to reach a consensus on these constituencies. He clarified that there was no discussion on a joint manifesto, noting that such matters would only be addressed after the election results. Regarding BJP’s remarks, Omar said they were expected and advised the BJP to focus on its internal issues.
Regarding the exclusion of the PDP from the alliance, Omar stated that it was Congress’s decision not to engage with the PDP. He also mentioned that the CPI(M) had initially announced a candidate for the Devsar seat without consulting its alliance partners, leading to a withdrawal following discussions with Dr. Farooq Abdullah.
This seat-sharing agreement marks a significant step in the pre-election preparations of the NC-Congress alliance, as both parties gear up for a united effort to secure a majority in the upcoming Assembly elections.