National Conference to contest 51 seats, Congress to field candidates on 32 in J&K Assembly polls
According to the agreement, Congress will contest 32 of the 90 Assembly seats, while the National Conference will field candidates in 51 constituencies. The two parties have also agreed to a friendly contest on 5 seats, where they will not oppose each other.
 )
FollowThe National Conference will contest the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections on as many as 51 out of the 90 seats, while the Congress will field its candidates in 31 constituencies, senior leaders of both parties said in a joint press conference on Monday evening. J&K Congress leader Tariq Hameed Karra stated that the coalition will also engage in a "friendly but disciplined contest" for five seats in the Union Territory in addition to declaring the seat-sharing pact.
"The National Conference will contest on 51 seats, Congress on 32, and we have agreed to have a friendly but disciplined contest on 5 seats," Karra said. The alliance has also deputed 1 seat each for the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Panthers Party.
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.
After nearly ten years, Jammu and Kashmir will hold assembly elections in three parts on September 18, 25, and October 1. Voting will conclude on October 4. Following the news of seat sharing, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah stated that the National Conference and the Congress will combat those forces who are "trying to divide people" together.
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.
