Congress and India's bloc-aligned National Conference on Monday announced the distribution of seats for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The National Conference will contest 51 seats, the Congress 32 and we have agreed to a friendly but disciplined contest on 5 seats. Out of these 88 seats, we have given 1 to the CPI(M). seat and left 1 seat for the Panthers Party,” J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Qara said at a briefing.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal added, “BJP is trying to destroy the soul of Jammu and Kashmir. The main objective of our Indian unity is to save the soul of Jammu and Kashmir, that's why the Congress and the National Conference Coming together to form a government of Jammu and Kashmir which is completely friendly to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
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“We have had a discussion accordingly and we have decided on a formula which our leaders will now share. We will fight together, win Jammu and Kashmir. We will form a government in Jammu and Kashmir.
National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said that it is a matter of great joy that we have started this campaign that we will fight together against the forces that are trying to divide the people here.
“The unity of the whole country and of India was created so that we can fight the forces that want to communalise, divide and break the country. Today we have completed negotiations and coordinated in a very friendly atmosphere. Congress And the National Conference will contest the election together,” ANI quoted the former J&K chief minister as saying.
The Congress-NC alliance shared power between 2008 and 2014.
The relationship between the NC and the Congress has had ups and downs since the 1940s and 50s. The two parties ran a coalition government between 2008 and 2014 under the leadership of Omar Abdullah. In the 2008 assembly elections, NC won 28 seats while Congress won 17 seats.
The two parties contested the 2014 assembly elections after ending their alliance. However, the Congress supported the NC for the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election in 2017 which was won by Farooq Abdullah.
On August 22, the two parties announced a pre-poll alliance for all 90 seats in Jammu and Kashmir, which will be held in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results will be announced on October 4. First assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370.