Congress Leaders Head To Srinagar To Break Deadlock In Seat-Sharing Talks With NC Ahead of J&K Assembly Polls

Senior Congress members, including K.C. Venugopal and Salman Khurshid, are scheduled to meet with NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah to resolve the deadlock.

PC: ANI

The Congress party has deployed its top leaders to Srinagar for negotiations with the National Conference (NC) regarding seat-sharing, as the two parties have yet to reach a consensus. According to IANS, Congress representatives, including K.C. Venugopal and Salman Khurshid, are scheduled to meet with NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah in Srinagar on Monday to resolve the deadlock.

Congress is reportedly seeking a larger share of Assembly seats in the Kashmir region, offering in exchange a greater number of seats to the NC in the Jammu division. The Congress holds significant sway in the Jammu division, whereas the NC has a strong foothold in the Muslim-majority Valley.

The Congress has historically secured a few seats in the Valley, such as Dooru and Shangus in Anantnag, and Sopore and Uri in Baramulla district. Tariq Hameed Karra, the chief of the JKPCC, hails from the Batmaloo area in Srinagar city, and the Congress anticipates that the NC will yield this seat to them to accommodate Karra.

The Congress's position is bolstered by statements from Rahul Gandhi, the senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, during his recent visit to J&K.

Post discussions with Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah at their Gupkar residence in Srinagar, Gandhi emphasized that the honor and broader interests of Congress workers would not be undermined in the seat-sharing process with the NC for the forthcoming Assembly elections.

The NC leadership expects the Congress to acknowledge the NC's deep-rooted presence in the Valley and in the Muslim-majority Assembly constituencies of Rajouri, Poonch, Doda districts, and other areas in the Jammu division. Both parties aim to secure a favorable outcome in the seat-sharing negotiations, reflecting the complex political dynamics of J&K.