Jammu: As the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are nearing, political parties are actively preparing for the contest. National Conference (NC) and Congress have formed an alliance for the elections.
However, the alliance has been facing internal debates, not over the total number of seats, but over specific seat claims.
Congress plans to contest on 9-10 seats
In the first phase of elections, there are 24 assembly seats up for grabs. Congress plans to contest between 9 and 10 seats, and is particularly focused on four seats in the Kashmir valley. These include Devsar and Shangas assembly seats, which Congress won in the 2014 elections, as well as Duru and Kokar Nag assembly seats.
In 2014, Congress’s Ghulam Ahmed Mir lost Duru seat to PDP candidate Syed Farooq Ahmed Andrabi by a narrow margin of 161 votes. Kokar Nag seat is highly contested because it has traditionally been held by senior Congress leader Peerzada Mohammad Syed, though PDP’s Abdul Rahim Rather won it in 2014.
One of the main issues that Congress is facing is the delimitation changes. Kokar Nag seat has now been reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST), meaning Mohammad Syed can no longer contest from there. However, Congress is still fighting for this seat, promising to field an ST candidate if they succeed.
Seat distribution issues
Congress aims to secure its sitting seats and contest from areas where it was the runner-up in the previous election. The primary disagreement within the alliance stems from these seat demands.
While Congress is confident in contesting 9 or 10 seats out of the 24 in the first phase, only 5 candidates have been finalised so far. The remaining seats are still in negotiation, particularly due to disagreements over seats in the valley.
The alliance’s situation in Jammu is smoother, as NC has not raised objections over Congress’s claim on seats in that region.
BJP’s criticism
The BJP has taken a strong stance against Congress-NC alliance. During a press conference, the BJP accused the two parties of forming a partnership driven by a “greed for power.”
The BJP expressed concern that the alliance may push for the reinstatement of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The party also questioned whether Congress would engage with separatist groups instead of prioritising dialogue with the state’s youth.
The BJP further criticised the Congress’s alleged intentions of reviving cross-border trade and reinstating stone-pelters in government jobs. They also raised concerns about Congress potentially eliminating reservations for the Dalit Gujjar Bakarwal community.