“This is a great thing”: Farooq Abdullah on PDP hinting at joining Congress-NC alliance

SRINAGAR: Excuding confidence that the Congress-NC alliance would be coming to power in Jammu and Kashmir with a “majority,” National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said that it is a “great thing” that People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is ready to join them.

When asked about the PDP leader’s remarks that the party is ready to join the Congress-NC alliance to keep BJP out of power, he told ANI, “Congratulations to them, this is a great thing, we are all on the same track, nafrat ko hume khatam karna hai, aur Jammu and Kashmir ko ikhate rakhna hai (we need to end the hatred, and keep Jammu and Kashmir united).”

Farooq Abdullah, however, refused to comment on the exit polls and said that on October 8, when the counting is due for the assembly polls, the results will be in front of all.

“On October 8 all the results would be in front of you, the boxes will be opened and we would know who stands where. But I do know this much that the Congress-NC alliance would be forming the government with a majority,” he said.

Earlier on Saturday, PDP candidate from Lal Chowk Assembly seat Zuhaib Yousuf Mir hinted that they can join the Congress-NC aslliance to keep BJP out of power and told ANI that they are ready to take any step to save the identity of Kashmir.

He said, “As far as we are concerned, exit polls are not a serious activity but time pass activity. PDP is confident that it will be an indispensable and important part of the secular government that will form in J&K. PDP will have an important role in forming any secular government. We had said that we are ready to take any step to save the identity of Kashmir but for this, it is important that we formulate a secular government, a government against BJP not with them.”

Various exit polls have predicted Congress-NC being ahead in a tight race.

According to TV-Today C-voter projections, the NC-Congress alliance is likely to win 40-48 seats while the BJP can win 27-32. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti-led People’s Democratic Party is likely to win 6-12 seats whereas others can win 6-11. As per Dainik Bhaskar’s projection, the NC-Congress alliance can win seats ranging from 35-40. The BJP can win 20-25 seats, PDP 4-7 while the others can win 12-18 seats.

The People Pulse survey has predicted 46-50 seats for the NC-Congress alliance and 23-27 for the BJP. As per them, the PDP can win 7-11 whereas the others can win 4-6 seats.The Gulistan News projection on Republic TV projected 28-30 seats for the National Conference, 3-6 seats for the Congress, 5-7 seats for the PDP and 8-16 seats for other parties and independents. (ANI)