NC, Congress seal pact ahead of LS polls

But it seems that Farooq Abdullah’s party has got nothing from the deal with the Congress.

It seems that the National Conference (NC) has only conceded but got nothing from the deal with the Congress. While NC chief Dr Farooq Abdullah agreed not to field any candidates in the two parliamentary segments of Jammu region, the Congress managed to reach an agreement with the NC— it will field candidates from Anantnag and Kupwara parliamentary segments and not field any candidate from Srinagar where it has very little presence.

On the other hand, after sending feelers to the Congress high command, the PDP, which agreed to extend support to the Congress in all the six parliamentary segments of Jammu & Kashmir, has now decided to field candidates in all the six segments. According to sources, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has decided to field candidates from the two Jammu parliamentary segments.

Mehbooba is trying to get Gujjar and Bakerwal votes in both the parliamentary segments of Jammu region. According to a recent survey, there are about 5.5 lakh votes of Gujjars and Bakerwals in Jammu-poonch parliamentary seat and about 2.75 lakhs in Udhampur-doda parliamentary segment. PDP has a good presence in Rajouri, Poonch and Darhal segments. It had managed a lot of votes in the previous Assembly elections. Frustrated by Mehbooba’s move, the NC has already accused her of having a “secret alliance” with the Bharatiya Janata Party to defeat the “secular” forces.

Party sources said that Omar Abdullah was upset with the deal. “Both Congress and National Conference will ask its voters to vote for their candidates. It would be a fight,” said a senior NC leader.

NC has already announced its candidates for three valley seats. Dr Farooq Abdullah will contest from Srinagarganderbal, retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi will contest from Anantnag-pulwama, while former speaker and senior NC leader Muhammad Akbar Lone would be the candidate from Baramulla-kupwara parliamentary segment.