J&K Assembly Polls: Congress, National Conference announce seat sharing agreement

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with party leader Rahul Gandhi meets J&K National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah, in Srinagar(File Photo)

The Congress and National Conference, an ally of the INDIA bloc, announced the seat-sharing pact for the upcoming assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. In a media briefing, State Congress chief, Tariq Hameed Karra said, "National Conference will contest on 51 seats, Congress on 32 and we have agreed to have a friendly but disciplined contest on 5 seats. Over and above these 88 seats, we have left 1 seat for CPI (M) and 1 seat for Panthers Party."

Congress leader KC Venugopal said "BJP is trying to destroy the soul of Jammu and Kashmir our INDIA alliance's main objective is to save the soul of Jammu and Kashmir so that is why Congress and National Conference is coming together to make a government in Jammu & Kashmir which is totally friendly with the people of J&K." "

We have done a discussion in accordance and we entered into a formula which our leaders will share now. We will fight together, we will win J&K. We will form the government in Jammu and Kashmir," the Congress leader added.

After hectic negotiation, the NC and the Congress Monday agreed to contest 51 and 32 seats respectively for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. One seat each has been allotted to the CPI(M) and the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP), the allies announced at a joint press conference at the NC president's residence here after day-long negotiations. They also said there will be a "friendly contest" on five seats of the Union Territory.

The 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls in three phases starting September 18. Votes will be counted on October 4.

Meanwhile, BJP on Monday named 16 candidates for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, considerably pruning an initial list of 44 following protests by some party cadre who alleged that "parachute candidates" were favoured over dedicated workers.

The original list, which included candidates for 36 segments in the Jammu region and eight in the Kashmir Valley, sparked significant dissatisfaction among party workers.