The Congress Party has expedited the process of selecting candidates for all 90 assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir given the likelihood of an election in September as mandated by the Supreme Court and a visit of the Election Commission of India to the Union Territory.
JKPCC President Vikar Rasool has instructed the District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents to submit the names of potential candidates within three days.
“We will be meeting before or after Independence Day to shortlist the names of the candidates for approval by the top leadership in New Delhi,’’ Rasool said. “ The Congress party has a presence everywhere in Jammu and Kashmir and we have more than one potential candidate for all constituencies.”
He said they would consult all party workers about potential candidates.
On August 9, Congress leaders from Jammu and Kashmir held a meeting with senior leaders of the AICC in New Delhi about the assembly elections and allying with other parties.
Sources said the Congress is open to an alliance with like-minded parties. In the recently held Lok Sabha polls, the Congress lost both seats it contested in Jammu to the BJP, but registered an increase in vote share.
The party also won seven assembly segments including those won by the BJP in the last assembly polls.
The DDCs have been asked to find candidates with a clean image and potential to succeed.
The Congress intends to field candidates in all 90 seats. The Congress is likely to field more candidates in Jammu where it enjoys better support and organisation structure compared to Kashmir where regional parties are strong.
In the recent Lok Sabha polls, the Congress lost both seats to the BJP, but the party’s vote share witnessed a hike as compared to the BJP whose vote share declined considerably.
The Congress has seven assembly seats in the two Lok Sabha constituencies of Jammu and Udhampur while BJP holds 29 seats. The Congress is hoping to make inroads in Jammu’s Muslim-majority areas, especially in Banihal, Doda, Baderwah, Inderwal and Kishtwar in Chenab Valley.