Top leadership to take decision on alliance: J&K Congress

Srinagar: Hours after National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said his party won’t compromise on three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir, the state Congress party said the final decision on a pre-poll alliance will be taken by the party high command.

“For any alliance or seat-sharing arrangement with NC, the decision lies with the party high command,” J&K Congress president, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, told Greater Kashmir. “We won’t be able say anything in this regard”.

Mir was reacting to Omar’s remarks during a rally in southern Anantnag, where he said: “It is true that we have received a proposal from the Congress for an alliance. But we’ve told them clearly that only NC candidates will be fielded on the three seats in the Valley”.

“If it suits them (Congress), then we can talk about other seats. Let’s see what response we receive,” Omar said.

The election to six parliamentary seats in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in five phases.

Mir said in case there was a seat-sharing arrangement, Congress is ready to contest. “Our party is equally strong in all three regions of the state,” he said, adding that people of the state “are with Congress as the party is fighting the divisive agenda of saffron parties”.