Srinagar, Oct 12 – The Jammu and Kashmir Congress has decided not to contest the Rajya Sabha seat offered to it by the ruling National Conference (NC), citing the seat as “risky” and less secure compared to alternatives.
The decision followed a marathon meeting of senior party leaders, including J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra, G.A. Mir, Raman Bhalla, and Choudhary Lal Singh. Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Karra said the party’s central leadership had sought a safer seat, either number 1 or 2, but the NC offered seat number 4, which is comparatively less secure. After deliberations, the party unanimously decided not to field a candidate and left the final decision to its alliance partner.
Karra added that the Congress leadership had formally conveyed its position to the NC. “We officially wrote to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah regarding our viewpoint, who asked us to forward it to Farooq Abdullah. We have done so, but have not received a response yet,” he said.
He further highlighted concerns raised by party members over governance, development issues, and the absence of a coordination committee among alliance partners. During the meeting, several leaders also expressed that the party should consider pulling out of the alliance with the NC.
Earlier, the NC had announced three candidates for the ‘safe’ Rajya Sabha seats, offering the fourth seat to Congress. Meanwhile, the BJP has nominated its J&K president, Sat Sharma, for the fourth seat, where it holds a clear edge with 28 votes, compared to the alliance’s 24 votes.
The Election Commission had announced the Rajya Sabha elections in J&K on September 24, marking the first such polls in over four years after the Legislative Assembly was dissolved in February 2022. In the 90-member Assembly, the NC-Congress alliance controls 53 seats, with Congress holding six seats and providing outside support to the NC government.
This development underscores growing tensions within the alliance and highlights the strategic considerations guiding Congress’s decision ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.
