Congress Opts Out From Rajya Sabha Race In J&K After National Conference Denies ‘Safe Seat’

Congress Opts Out From Rajya Sabha Race In J&K After National Conference Denies ‘Safe Seat’

The Congress party has announced not to contest the upcoming Rajya Sabha election in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir after its alliance partner, the National Conference, refused it a 'safe seat'.

After a marathon meeting with senior leaders, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee President, Tariq Hamid Karra, said that it has been unanimously agreed that the Congress will not contest the Rajya Sabha polls, and the decision has been formally communicated to the NC, reported news agency PTI.

The Congress central leadership sought one of the two Rajya Sabha seats that are going to polls separately, but the National Conference offered the party one of the two seats, which are going to polls under a common notification, Karra said.

"Keeping this in mind, all the participants (at the meeting) were of the opinion that seat four is not safe like seat one or two. It was unanimously decided that we will not put up our candidate for seat number four. We will leave it to our alliance partners to see what they think about that," Karra said as quoted by the news agency.

He further said that he and the Congress general secretary had sent letters to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also NC Vice President and Party President Farooq Abdullah, about the Rajya Sabha seat, but “there was no reply from them."

"Since the safe seat was not offered to us, we don't want to contest on seat four," he added.

National Conference has already named its three candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls, indicating that it will use its strength in the Assembly to ensure all three emerge victorious.

While all three National Conference candidates are assured of victory even without the support of alliance partners, the fourth candidate of the ruling alliance will need every anti-BJP vote to ensure a clean sweep.

The three MLAs of the PDP, one each from People's Conference, Awami Ittehad Party and AAP will have to vote for the ruling party candidate to ensure victory on the fourth seat.

The elections for four Rajya Sabha seats will be held on October 24. The BJP has also named three candidates.

(With inputs from agencies)

Source: News18
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