Cong-NC likely to join hands, top leadership camping in New Delhi

LS Polls

JAMMU: Although Assembly elections have been deferred in Jammu & Kashmir for some time but National Conference and Congress can come together once again to fight the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in the State, schedule of which has been announced by the Election Commission of India recently.

While hectic parleys are underway at various levels between senior leadership of both the parties in New Delhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday also dropped a hint when he said that his
party was “close to sealing alliance” in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to highly placed sources, NC Working President Omar Abdullah along with some top party leaders from the State including Nasir Aslam Wani, Devender Singh Rana and others are camping in Delhi.

Besides, Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee President Ghulam Ahmad Mir flanked by Ghulam Nabi Azad, Nawang Rigzin Jora and other State leaders have also been called by the Congress President Rahul Gandhi to Delhi to discuss the vital issue of pre-poll alliance with the National Conference for the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu & Kashmir.

“Discussions are on between top leadership of both the parties on pre-poll alliance, especially in run up to the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu & Kashmir,” said Devender Singh Rana while talking exclusively to The News Now.

“Yes, Omar Sahab is in New Delhi and I’m also accompanying him,” he said in reply to a question and added further, “Even though talks are on for pre-poll alliance but there is no final decision as yet and it would be immature to say anything now.”

Meanwhile, when contacted, J&K Pradesh Congress Chief, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, said, “I’m at Ajmer Sharief to pay obeisance at the age-old Sufi Shrine and can’t say anything about it at this moment.”

“Senior party leaders from the State including J&K Pradesh Congress President Ghulam Ahmad Mir along with Leader of Opposition in the Parliament Ghulam Nabi Azad besides Nawan Rigzin Jora have gone to Delhi,” disclosed Ravinder Sharma, Chief Spokesperson, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee, when contacted by The News Now.

“Consultations are on for pre-poll alliance but there is no final outcome as of now,” he said, adding, “This happens when elections are imminent and it’s not something new.”

“Dialogue is on in this regard and when there is some development, we will definitely let you know,” he added.

It’s pertinent to mention here that the NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah has also admitted today that talks are on with the Congress party but ruled out any pre-poll alliance yet.

“No alliance has taken place yet but once there would be any such development, we will let you know about that,” he said.

“Talks between Congress and National Conference regarding pre-poll alliance in Jammu & Kashmir are going on,” Dr. Abdullah added.

It may be recalled here that there are six Lok Sabha seats in Jammu & Kashmir including 3 in Kashmir i.e., Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla while two in Jammu i.e., Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda and one in Ladakh region.

Elections to six Lok Sabha seats of Jammu & Kashmir will be conducted in first five phases starting from April 11 to May 6, 2019, where voting for Jammu-Poonch and Baramulla seats will be held on April 11 followed by elections for Udhampur-Doda and Srinagar seats in 2nd phase on April 18, 2019. Apart from this, the Anantnag seat will be going to the polls in three phases i.e., April 23, 29 and May 6, 2019, whereas the polling for Ladakh seat will be held on May 6, 2019.

Meanwhile, National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday the Modi government had "consciously disenfranchised" the people in Jammu and Kashmir by not holding the Assembly election on time.

"Dear @narendramodi Sahib, it is good to see you appealing to famous people to increase voter turnout however at the same time your government has consciously disenfranchised people in J&K by not holding Assembly elections on time," Abdullah posted on Twitter.

The former chief minister was referring to Modi's appeal to several personalities to help increase the voter turnout in the general election.

"The right to choose an elected government, as opposed to being governed by a hand picked nominee of the central government, is the hallmark of the sort of democracy you are tweeting about," the NC leader said, appealing to the prime minister to give the people of the state an opportunity to exercise their democratic right by way of holding the Assembly polls.

Updated On 3/14/2019 11:34:48 AM