SRINAGAR — National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah announced that his party has finalised a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, with the two parties set to contest as a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies.
Abdullah acknowledged that some NC members would not be able to contest on the party’s ticket as a result of the alliance.
“We have presented our manifesto and roadmap to the people,” Abdullah said. “Unfortunately, some of our members can’t contest on NC tickets due to the alliance. But we are committed to defeating the BJP and its allies.”
Abdullah to contest from Ganderbal
National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, who had previously said he would not participate in assembly elections as long as Jammu and Kashmir remained a Union Territory, will now contest from the Ganderbal constituency.
The decision follows the release of the National Conference’s second list of 32 candidates for the assembly elections.
Abdullah had said he would not join the assembly under the current circumstances, reiterating that position as recently as April of that year, and had said his stance had remained unchanged since 2020.
However, speaking to reporters after the seat-sharing pact between the National Conference and Congress was formalised on a Monday evening, Abdullah indicated a shift in position, saying his earlier decision to stay away from the assembly may have been a mistake. He said seeking votes from the people while not being a candidate himself seemed contradictory.
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