Parties agree on seat-sharing arrangement, aim to counter divisive forces; Congress to contest 33 seats, National Conference 52, with a “friendly fight” on five constituencies.
SRINAGAR – Congress and the National Conference have finalised an agreement for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. According to the arrangement, Congress will contest 33 out of the 90 Assembly seats, while the National Conference will field candidates in 52 constituencies. The two parties will engage in a “friendly fight” on the remaining five seats. Additionally, one seat has been allocated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and another to the Panthers Party.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah expressed satisfaction with the alliance, stating that the collaboration aims to combat forces that seek to divide and communalise the region. “It is a matter of great happiness that we started this campaign together against those forces who are trying to divide people here,” Abdullah said. He emphasised that the INDIA alliance was formed to counteract these divisive forces and noted that the negotiations between the parties had taken place in a cordial atmosphere, The New Indian Express reported.
Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra provided further details on the seat-sharing arrangement, confirming that the National Conference will contest 51 seats, while Congress will compete in 32. He reiterated that a friendly but disciplined contest would take place in five constituencies.
Congress leader KC Venugopal criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of attempting to destroy the soul of Jammu and Kashmir. He highlighted that the primary objective of the INDIA alliance is to preserve the region’s integrity and ensure a government that is in tune with the aspirations of the people. “We will fight together, we will win J&K. We will form the government in Jammu and Kashmir,” Venugopal asserted.
