A significant political development in this respect Is that the head of the National Conference (NC), Farooq Abdullah, has declared this party’s intention to forge an alliance with the Congress in connection with the forthcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. It has been agreed that both parties should form cooperation, which remains being discussed, specifically seat sharing.
At a late-night meeting in Srinagar, NC, Congress leaders finalized all the details of the alliance agreement, emphasizing the number of seats to be contested. Intelligence sources suggest that the Congress is eager to capture 12 segments in the Kashmir Valley, though it is prepared to give the same 12 segments to the National Conference in the Jammu region.
Nevertheless, the final decision about seat distribution has not yet been made. Further consultations are expected to be held soon to decide the modalities of the agreement, probably within the next two days. In the wake of the upcoming general elections, this strategic partnership can potentially alter the Political watermark of Jammu and Kashmir.
When the ECI declared the Assembly polls, political participation in the area increased, which has remained limited for the last six years. The last big act during the Lok Sabha elections has taken place, but in connection with the elections to the Assembly, there are already signs of increased activity.
These upcoming polls are general, the first Assembly elections since changes have occurred in Jammu and Kashmir in the last five years. By far, the most significant and impactful shift was the revocation of Section 370 on August 5, 2019, which resulted in the removal of the state’s special status under the constitution and thereafter transformed it into a Union Territory. It was further reorganized by dividing it into two UTs, one of which is Ladakh and does not have a legislative assembly.
Assembly elections will be held in three phases: September 18, September 25, and October 1. Votes will be counted on October 4.
