Jammu and Kashmir Elections: Omar Abdullah Explains Why National Conference, Congress Fighting Against Each Other On Five Seats Despite Alliance

Jammu and Kashmir Polls: The National Conference has decided to contest elections on 51 seats while Congress on 32 seats in an alliance besides friendly fight on five seats.

Jammu and Kashmir Election 2024: In a surprising move, the National Conference (NC) and Congress have decided to field candidates separately on five seats in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, despite their alliance. This decision has raised questions about the unity and strategic planning within the alliance. The National Conference has decided to contest elections on 51 seats while Congress on 32 seats in an alliance besides friendly fight on five seats.

The decision to contest separately on five seats stems from the difficulty both parties faced in conceding certain constituencies. JKNC Vice President Omar Abdullah admitted that three of the five seats were crucial for NC, while the remaining two were significant for Congress. Given the importance of these seats to both parties, they agreed to allow each party to field its own candidates.

Omar Abdullah explained the reasoning behind the decision of not having a Common Minimum Program for the alliance. According to Abdullah, during initial discussions, Congress had proposed a common minimum program, but NC insisted that such a program would be developed only after winning the election. Abdullah emphasized that there were no objections from Congress regarding NC's manifesto, indicating that both parties were committed to a shared governance agenda, but only after securing a mandate from the voters.

This move highlights the complexities and challenges of maintaining a political alliance, especially in a region as politically sensitive as Jammu and Kashmir. While the NC-Congress alliance remains intact, the decision to contest separately on these key seats suggests underlying tensions and differing priorities within the partnership.

Omar Abdullah also took the opportunity to criticize the BJP, pointing out the internal chaos within the party, as seen in their recent mishap of releasing and retracting a candidate list within minutes. His remarks hinted at the BJP's struggles to maintain cohesion, contrasting it with the NC's focus on the larger electoral battle ahead.

As the election date approaches, the separate contests on these five seats will be closely watched, as they could influence the overall dynamics of the NC-Congress alliance and the broader electoral outcome in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir elections will be conducted in three phases, starting on September 18. In the first phase, 24 seats will be contested—17 in Kashmir and 7 in the Chenab Valley of Jammu. The vote counting is scheduled for October 4.