Congress leader KC Venugopal, who was also present, said they will fight together and “form the government” in Jammu and Kashmir…reports Asian Lite News
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.
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.
NC announces first list of 18 candidates
Hours after finalising its seat-sharing deal with the Congress, the National Conference on Monday announced a list of 18 candidates who have been nominated as candidates from the party for the upcoming Assembly elections.
The party said in a social media post that party president Farooq Abdullah had approved the nominations.
Contestants from key constituencies include retired Justice Hussnain Masoodi from Pampore, Mohammad Khalil Bandh from Pulwama, Sheikh Mohammad Rafi from Shopian, Gh Mohi-Ud-Din Mir from Rajpora and Khalid Najeeb Soharwardy from Doda.
Additionally, the National Conference (NC) has announced Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din Mir as the candidate for Rajpora, Showkat Hussain Ganie for Zainpora, Sheikh Mohammad Rafi for Shopian, and former minister Sakina Ittoo for DH Pora, Showkat Hussain Ganie from Zainpora, Peerzada Feroze Ahmad from Devsar, Chowdary Zaffer Ahmad from Larnoo, Abdul Majeed Larmi from Anantnag West, Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri from (Bijbehara), Reyaz Ahmad Khan from Anantnag East, Altaf Ahmad Kaloo from Pahalgam, Mehboob Iqbal from Bhaderwah, Khalid Najeeb Soharwardy from Doda, Arjun Singh Raju from Ramban, Sajad Shaheen from Banihal, Sajad Kichloo from Kishtwar, Pooja Thokur from Pader-Nagsani.
Congress names nine candidates
Meanwhile, The Congress party has announced its first list of nine candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Released late on Monday, the list includes leaders such as Ghulam Ahmad Mir, the party’s general secretary, who will contest from the Dooru constituency. Former state unit chief Vikar Rasool Wani has been fielded from the Banihal seat.
The Congress has also named candidates for other key constituencies: Surinder Singh Channi will contest from Tral, Amanullah Mantoo from Devsar, Peerzada Mohammad Syed from Anantnag, Shaikh Zafarullah from Inderwal, Nadeem Sharief from Bhadarwah, Sheikh Riyaz from Doda, and Pradeep Kumar Bhagat from Doda West.
800 EVMs dispatched
The District Election Authority of Doda successfully dispatched 800 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to three different strong rooms in the Doda district on Monday for the first phase of the 2024 assembly elections, under tight security.
The first phase of polls will be held on September 18.
The District Election Authority in Doda has ensured that the EVMs are securely transported to the strong rooms of the three Assembly constituencies under stringent security measures.
District Election Officer (DEO) of Doda, Harvinder Singh, confirmed that all EVMs have been sent to their respective constituencies, ensuring that the upcoming first phase of the 2024 Assembly elections will be conducted in a free and fair manner.
Singh emphasised the commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process, with all necessary precautions in place for a smooth and transparent election.
There are a total of 160,057 male voters and 150,521 female voters in the three constituencies of Bhaderwah, Doda, and Doda West in the district.
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