Congress has expedited the arrival of its senior leaders to Srinagar to negotiate seat-sharing arrangements with the National Conference (NC), as the two parties have yet to reach a consensus. According to Congress sources, prominent figures such as K.C. Venugopal and Salman Khurshid will meet NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah in Srinagar on Monday to resolve the deadlock on this issue.
NC leader Nasir Sogami informed reporters in Srinagar that senior Congress figures are meeting with Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah to address some clarifications. “It’s better to resolve these issues through direct discussion. We expect to have clarity on the nominations by this evening,” he stated.
When asked if this meeting would affect the coalition, Sogami responded, “If that were the case, why would they meet? Forming an alliance between two parties is complex. We need to consider both parties’ strengths and the interests of their respective cadres.”
Sources indicate that the Congress is seeking a larger share of Assembly seats in Kashmir, while offering more seats to the NC in the Jammu division. The Congress holds significant influence in Jammu, whereas the NC is strong in the Muslim-majority Valley. The Congress has had some success in the Valley in previous elections, winning seats in Dooru, Shangus, Sopore, and Uri.
The JKPCC chief, Tariq Hameed Karra, from Batmaloo in Srinagar, is anticipated to receive a seat concession from the NC. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has assured that the party’s prestige and the interests of Congress workers will not be compromised in seat-sharing negotiations with the NC.
Meanwhile, the NC expects the Congress to acknowledge its strong presence in both the Valley and Muslim-majority areas in the Jammu division.
The J&K Assembly Commission has scheduled the Assembly elections in three phases: September 15, September 28, and October 1, with the counting set for October 4 and the process concluding by October 6. (With inputs from IANS)
