Talks Underway With Congress On Seat Sharing In J&K, Says Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar, Feb 27: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said that they would fight the upcoming elections as a part of INDIA alliance and talks are underway with Congress on seat sharing.

Member Parliament Abdullah said the INDIA alliance must be made strong to save the country from destruction.

“If the INDIA alliance could not be strengthened we will ourselves put the nation in trouble”, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister told media persons in Srinagar on Tuesday.

He said talks are underway with Congress and in a few days the decision on seat sharing will be communicated to the public.

“There is no doubt we have to make a coalition with the Congress as Omar (Abdullah) sahib is in touch with them and it is very likely a decision will come out in a few days,” Farooq said.

Jammu and Kashmir used to have six Lok Sabha seats prior to the scrapping of Article 370- that gave special status to erstwhile state- in August 2019. In the last Parliament polls in erstwhile J&K, both NC and BJP won three seats each.

The number of Lok Sabha seats in J&K has come down to five, as Ladakh is a separate union territory.

Abdullah said the coalition with Congress would obviously strengthen the political scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We could not remain lonely; it is a part of the country. We can’t be strengthened alone,” he added.

When asked some former NC leaders are joining the BJP, Abdullah said “people will come and go. It is not a new saying.. Some will join BJP and some will come out from BJP… it is a part of election. It will have no effect on the National Conference,” he said.

“We have to fight the elections on our own strength. We have fought elections earlier and today will fight again on our own strength and power”, The NC President said.

Replying to another question regarding BJP’s claim that National Conference will lose all the three seats they occupy in the Parliament, Abdullah said it is upto the people.

Farooq said they want Assembly elections to be held in Jammu and Kashmir soon.

“It is very unfortunate that Parliamentary elections could be held.. why not the state Assembly elections,” he asked.