Talks on with Cong on 3 other constituencies
*PDP out of Alliance in UT
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 5: The National Conference (NC) today said the party will contest all the three Lok Sabha constituencies in Kashmir on its own, even as talks were on with the Congress to decide on the three seats of Jammu region and Ladakh UT.
The NC’s announcement came after a meeting of its Parliamentary Committee at the party headquarters here today which was chaired by party president Dr Farooq Abdullah.
“The National Conference will contest these three seats from the valley on its own,” NC’s provincial president for Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani, told reporters after the meeting.
The party, however, said that discussions were on with the Congress for seat-sharing on two seats in Jammu and one in Ladakh.
“For the remaining three seats, including Ladakh, talks with the Congress are on,” Wani said.
The announcement put to rest the speculations that India bloc partners, including Mehbooba Mufti-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP), would enter into a seat-sharing arrangement in Jammu and Kashmir with the PDP contesting from Anantnag-Rajouri seat and the Congress fielding its candidates from two seats in Jammu region and one in Ladakh.
The NC’s announcement effectively left the PDP out of the alliance in the Union territory.
An NC leader said that Omar Abdullah who had gone to an Alliance meeting at New Delhi told the meeting of its Parliamentary Committee today that he has made it clear to the alliance that NC will contest from all the three seats of the Valley.
However, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President, Vikar Rasool said that there is no decision with regard to the seat sharing yet. “NC might have made public its stand and claim on three seats in Kashmir division, but the fact is that any decision with regard to the alliance and seat sharing will be made public on March 7 only,” he said.
Meanwhile, an NC leader said that two leaders have been shortlisted for North Kashmir Parliamentary seat. “They are Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan and Aga Rohullah but Chowdhary is not interested while party wants him to contest to counter Peoples Conference candidate Sajjad Lone. However, Omar is in favour of Aga Rohullah,” he said
“For Central Kashmir parliamentary constituency, names of Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Adullah have been finalised but most probably Omar is going to contest,” he said. He added that Mian Mohammad Altaf has been finalised for Anantnag-Poonch Parliamentary seat.
He said that final decision will be taken on 12th March after the meeting of District presidents of various districts of the party and Assembly constituencies’ incharges.
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