Srinagar, August 22: In a significant development ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge met with National Conference (NC) leadership on Thursday to discuss a possible pre-poll alliance.
Exploring Alliance Possibilities
After interacting with party workers, Gandhi and Kharge visited the residence of NC president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah on Gupkar Road, Srinagar. A Congress party leader confirmed that the meeting aimed to discuss a potential pre-poll alliance for the upcoming Assembly polls.
Local-Level Deliberations
According to sources, the two parties have been holding deliberations at the local level regarding the alliance. An NC leader revealed that three rounds of discussions have taken place between the parties, focusing on the shape of the alliance and seat-sharing arrangements.
Cordial Discussions
The NC leader described the discussions as “cordial” and expressed hope for a successful alliance. However, the leader emphasized that any decision on forging the pre-poll alliance would be taken by the leadership of both parties.
Previous Alliance Experience
Notably, the Congress and NC had contested the Lok Sabha polls together as part of the INDIA Bloc. Although the alliance did not yield desired results, with the Congress losing both seats in Jammu and NC losing one of the three seats contested in the Kashmir valley, the parties are now exploring possibilities for a pre-poll alliance in the Assembly polls.
Upcoming Assembly Polls
The Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to be held in three phases: September 18, September 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4. The meeting between Gandhi, Kharge, and the Abdullahs assumes significance as the parties seek to strengthen their position in the upcoming elections.
Congress Leaders’ Visit
Gandhi and Kharge received a rousing welcome from Congress workers and supporters upon their arrival at the airport on Wednesday. After wrapping up their interactions in Srinagar, the two leaders will fly to Jammu to hold discussions with party workers from the 10 districts in the Jammu region.
