Team News Riveting
Srinagar, August 26
After hectic day-long exercise, the National Conference (NC) and the Congress on Monday agreed on the seat sharing formula for the ensuing state polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
The state, which has 90 members in the legislative assembly, will vote in three phases on September 19, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4.
In the earlier negotiations, the alliance partners Congress and the NC failed to reach consensus especially over a few seats in the valley. Senior Congress leaders including AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal and Salman Khurshid landed in Srinagar Monday afternoon and held a series of discussion with NC leaders led by party President Farooq Abdullah.
According to their seat-sharing formula, the NC will contest 51 seats while Congress will field its candidates in 32 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.
“NC will field candidates from 51 seats while INC will contest on 32 seats,” the NC—Congress leaders said while addressing a news conference. There will be a “friendly contest” on five seats, they said, adding that one seat each has been allotted to the CPI(M) and the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP).
Abdullah said the alliance was up for a fight against the powers “who are dividing the people not just in this state, but across the country.”
“The INDIA bloc was made with an aim to fight those forces who are trying to create a communal divide in the country. Today, I am happy that the negotiations (over the alliance) have been concluded. They took place in a cordial atmosphere,” Abdullah said.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said the two parties are aiming to protect the “soul” of J-K and the country.
