The National Conference and the Congress have finalised an alliance for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. This was announced by the NC president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar.
Abdullah announced the formation of an alliance after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Malikarjun Kharge met him at his residence at Gupkar Road in Srinagar,
“We met in a cordial atmosphere and this alliance will work well,’’ he said. “ This alliance is for all the 90s seats and signatures on the agreement will be done in the evening and everything will be in front of you.”
Gandhi and Kharge arrived in Jammu and Kashmir on a two-day visit for a meeting with leaders and the workers of the party and finalised an alliance with the NC.
On Wednesday, the Congress leaders met with the NC leaders and held discussions on the formation of an alliance.
As per sources, there was some disagreement on certain seats, especially in Jammu’s Muslim majority areas of Chenab Valley comprising the districts of Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar.
However, the differences were ironed out before Abdullah made the announcement about the alliance.
This morning Gandhi and Kharge addressed Congress workers and assured them that the Congress seeks an alliance but the interests of the workers will not be compromised.
“We want to send a clear message that the representation and statehood of J&K are of utmost importance to us,” he said. Later, the two leaders issued a statement to the press.
Gandhi said the Congress is committed to restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) as soon as possible. “The restoration of statehood is a priority for the Congress party and the INDIA alliance,” Gandhi said.
He hoped that statehood would be reinstated before the Assembly polls. “The announcement of the elections is a positive step forward,” he said. “J&K is the first state to be downgraded to a Union Territory since independence.”
He highlighted the party's election manifesto, which prioritises restoring the democratic rights of the people of J&K and Ladakh.
“The Congress is ready to assist them in any way possible,” he said. “As I have been saying, ‘We wish to open a shop of love in the market of hatred, with respect and brotherhood."
Kharge criticised the BJP for failing to ensure elections in J&K and claimed that the party only announced polls under pressure from the Supreme Court.
“The BJP can no longer suppress the voices of the people in J&K, and Congress is committed to working for their welfare,” he said. “There are high unemployment rates in J&K, and the BJP's claims of eradicating terrorism after the abrogation of Article 370 have proven false, given the increased incidents of infiltration.”
After meeting Abdullah, the Congress left for Jammu where they will be meeting the party leaders and workers apprise them about the formation of an alliance with the NC.
The coming together of the NC and the Congress will strengthen the opposition against the BJP.
In the Lok Sabha polls, the NC and Congress had jointly fought the polls against the BJP. Both the NC and the BJP won two seats each in Kashmir and Jammu regions respectively.
The Congress lost both the seats to the BJP, but the party witnessed a huge jump in the vote share, boosting the morale of the party for the assembly polls.
