The National Conference and Congress are in high-level talks for a possible alliance in upcoming UT elections, with Congress open to other like-minded parties.
Within days of the poll announcement for the UT, the National Conference and Congress have begun holding talks at the top level.
The two parties had contested the Lok Sabha polls jointly as part of the INDIA bloc, with NC winning from Srinagar and Anantnag seats. The Congress, however, lost both seats in the Jammu division.
The Grand Old Party has also kept its doors open for the Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party.
Newly elected Congress’s Jammu and Kashmir unit president, Tariq Hameed Karra, on Monday said the NC has approached the Congress leadership, adding, “To my knowledge the National Conference has already approached our central leadership.”
Karra, who was addressing media on the sidelines of a function at the Congress office in Srinagar, said the party was open for an alliance to every like-minded party opposing the hegemony and dictatorial policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Crediting the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra for changing the ground situation for the party, Karra said, “The priority of our team will be to take it forward by channelising and capitalising it in the interest of people.”
Karra said the Congress will try to address problems like economic, Constitutional, religion and regional distress, adding that the Congress has constituted a committee comprising senior J&K leaders to hold deliberations with like-minded political parties. Congress senior leaders said talks for an alliance will also be held with the PDP and other parties.
Omar, however, said talks are yet to be initiated with the Congress. “Congress cannot force or compel us to hold an alliance with any political party,” hinting towards the PDP.
The former CM, however, conceded that NC is also holding talks with like-minded parties. “At this point, I cannot reveal names of those political parties,” Omar said, adding, “Same is the case with Congress. We cannot force each other. We have been holding talks with Congress at the highest level. I don’t know in what context Karra was speaking.”