NC, Congress & CPI(M) forge pre-poll alliance in J-K ahead of Assembly polls

SRINAGAR — In the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, the regional National Conference (NC) has formally entered into a pre-poll bonhomie with Congress and CPI(M) ahead of the Assembly polls, ending the long stalemate in this regard. The final papers between the parties are scheduled to be signed on Thursday evening.

Earlier in the day, the Congress top brass including its national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met the NC leadership at Dr Farooq Abdullah’s residence here in Gupkar. Other leaders from the two parties who were present in the meeting include NC vice president Omar Abdullah, J&K PCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra, AICC General Secretary (Org) K C Venugopal and NC provincial president Kashmir Nasir Aslam Wani.

As soon as the meeting ended, Dr Farooq spoke to the media persons and announced the pre-poll alliance with the Congress and CPI(M) parties.

Pertinently, the three parties in Jammu and Kashmir have also fought the Lok Sabha elections together and managed to secure two seats in Kashmir and lost three others—one in Kashmir and two in Jammu division.

Addressing the media persons, as per the news agency KNO, Dr Farooq said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and the pre-poll alliance was given the final shape. “The pre-poll alliance will be on all the 90 Assembly seats in Jammu & Kashmir,” he said while adding that NC-Congress and CPI(M) will fight the elections jointly.

The NC leader and party’s Provincial President Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani, who was present during the meeting with Congress leadership, said that the pre-poll alliance has been finalized. He also said that the PDP would not be part of the pre-poll alliance.

However, Wani didn’t divulge anything related to the seat sharing between the parties.

Pertinently, Rahul while addressing the workers at a local hotel here hinted at the pre-poll alliance even before the announcement and meeting with NC leadership. However, he stated that the alliance will not be formed at the cost of Congress workers’ and leaders’ interest.

Rahul along with AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge commenced his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. He arrived in Srinagar yesterday afternoon and attended the workers convention in Srinagar, which was followed by a press conference. He later met NC leadership and left for Jammu where he attended a Congress workers’ convention.