SRINAGAR: In a significant political development, the Congress party and the National Conference (NC) have announced a pre-poll alliance for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi met with NC president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah in Srinagar on Thursday to finalize the alliance.

Dr. Abdullah expressed confidence in the alliance, stating, “The alliance is on track and will be successful. CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami is also part of it. Seat-sharing has been finalized for all 90 seats in J&K. The people of J&K have suffered greatly due to the absence of an elected government for years. We expect Statehood with full powers to be restored and we will fight for it.”

This strategic partnership is set to enhance the electoral prospects of both parties and eliminate any doubts about a potential post-poll alliance with the BJP. Previously, there was speculation that the NC might partner with the BJP if the election results were crucial. However, this pre-poll alliance dispels those rumors.

A senior NC leader commented, “Our opponents tried to suggest that the NC might form an understanding with the BJP after the elections, which could have harmed our prospects. While we might have won more seats without this alliance, conceding at least 10 seats in Kashmir to Congress is necessary.”

The alliance aims to consolidate secular and regional votes to counter the BJP’s growing influence in the region. The timing of this partnership is strategic, given the current disarray among other parties aligned with the BJP, such as Altaf Bukhari’s Apni Party, Sajad Lone’s People’s Conference, and Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP). These parties have struggled to maintain relevance amid internal issues and a decreasing appeal in the Valley.

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