National Conference and Congress on Monday announced an alliance for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the first such polls after the erstwhile state was bifurcated into two union territories in 2019.
Out of 90 assembly seats, National Conference will contest 51 seats while Congress will field its candidates in 32 constituencies. The parties left one seat each for CPI(M) and Panthers Party.
National Conference and Congress also announced that a “friendly contest” would be held on five seats of the Union territory.
Fight Against Those Trying To Divide People: Farooq Abdullah
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said that both parties have come together to fight those forces who are trying to divide people in J&K.
“It is a matter of great happiness that we started this campaign that both of us will fight together against those forces who are trying to divide people here. The whole country and INDIA alliance was formed so that we can fight those forces who want to communalize, divide and break the country. Today we have completed the negotiations and have done coordination in a very good cordial atmosphere. Congress and the National Conference will fight the elections together…,” the former CM said.
BJP Trying To Destroy J&K’s Soul: Congress
Congress leader KC Venugopal alleged that the BJP is trying to destroy the soul of Jammu and Kashmir.
“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 Lok Sabha MP said.
Will Make Common Minimum Programme for Governance: Omar
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said, “I want to categorically state that the Congress party never raised any objection to our manifesto. At the initial stage of our discussions at the local level they had asked if we would consider some kind of common minimum programme and we told them that common minimum programme always comes after winning elections. We are fighting this election to win, if National Conference and Congress get the support of the people then we will make a common minimum programme for governance for the next 5 years. We did not discuss our manifesto with the Congress, nor did we ask the Congress what they were going to include in their manifesto.”
J&K Election Dates
Polls to the 90-member J-K assembly will be held in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results will be announced on October 4.
As of now, 14 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the first phase of elections. August 27 is the last date for filing nominations for the first phase.
The process of filing nominations for the second and third phases will begin on August 29 and September 5, respectively.
In the last assembly elections held in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014, when it was a full-fledged state, the BJP had won 25 seats.
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