National Conference to contest 51 seats, Congress 31 as part of seat-sharing pact for J&K polls; ‘friendly contest’ on five seats

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 26 (ANI): National Conference will contest 51 of 90 seats and Congress 32 according to the seat-sharing pact reached by the two parties for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. The two parties will also have “friendly contest” on five seats.

The two parties have left one seat each for CPI(M) and Panthers Party.

Making the announcement, Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra said the two parties have reached the seat-sharing agreement by understanding “sensitivities of each other”.

He said there was difficulty on some seats and they will have “friendly contest in a disciplined manner”.

The seat-sharing pact was declared a day before the last day of filing nominations for the first phase of elections on September 18 for 24 seats.

“National Conference will contest on 51 seats, Congress on 32 and we have agreed to have a friendly but disciplined contest on 5 seats. Over and above these 88 seats, we have left 1 seat for CPI (M) and 1 seat for Panthers Party,” Karra said at a press conference.

Congress leader KC Venugopal, who was also present, said they will fight together and “form the government” in Jammu and Kashmir.

“BJP is trying to destroy the soul of Jammu and Kashmir. Our INDIA alliance’s main objective is to save the soul of Jammu and Kashmir so that is why Congress and National Conference are coming together to make a government in Jammu and Kashmir which will be totally friendly with the people of J-K. We have done a discussion and entered into a formula which our leaders will share now. We will fight together, we will win J-K. We will form the government in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJP on Monday released its first list of candidates for the Jammu and Kashmir elections.

The initial list includes 15 candidates, with the party aiming to represent various communities and castes. The list features candidates from both the Jammu and Kashmir regions.

The party subsequently announced its candidate for the Kokernag seat as well.

Sources indicate that the BJP has sought to reflect the region’s diverse demographic composition and strengthen its outreach to different communities.

The party has fielded Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi from Pampore, Arshid Bhat from Rajpora, Javed Ahmad Qadri from Shopian, Mohammad Rafiq Wani from Anantnag West, and Syed Wazahat from Anantnag. Veer Saraf is the candidate from Shangus-Anantnag East.

The party has also fielded Sofi Yousuf from Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Tariq Keen from Inderwal, and Salim Bhat from Banihal. Shagun Parihar, the only woman on the list, will contest from Kishtwar.

Additionally, the BJP has fielded Sunil Sharma from Padder-Nagseni, Daleep Singh Parihar from Bhadarwah, Gajay Singh Rana from Doda, Shakti Raj Parihar from Doda West, and Rakesh Thakur from Ramban.

Choudhary Roshan Hussain Gujjar will contest from Kokernag.

Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4.

Voting will be held for 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Election Commission, the Union Territory has 88.06 lakh electors.