Congress mulls contesting J&K local body polls with NC, PDP

The two regional parties had been contesting the local body polls separately in the past but recently both the NC and the PDP joined the INDIA alliance which will take on the BJP in the 2024 national polls. -- Reports ETV Bharat's Amit Agnihotri.

New Delhi:The Congress is exploring contesting the coming local body polls in UT Jammu and Kashmir jointly with the NC and the PDA as part of the INDIA alliance.

The two regional parties had been contesting the local body polls separately in the past but recently both the NC and the PDP joined the INDIA alliance which will take on the BJP in the 2024 national polls.

“There is a thought within the party over contesting the coming local body polls jointly with the NC and the PDP to put up a strong fight against the BJP. But there is no final decision over the alliance issue which will be discussed among the local leaders at a party conclave in Srinagar on August 20,” AICC in charge of Jammu and Kashmir Rajni Patil told ETV Bharat.

“We had held a convention of elected Panchayat functionaries in Jammu on May 21 to discuss preparations for the local body polls which are likely to be held in October or November. The second such convention will be held in Srinagar on August 20, the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The issue of whether we should contest the local body polls with NC and PDP would also be discussed there. We will then convey the popular view to the high command for a final decision,” said Patil.

Till then, the Congress is focusing on restrengthening the grand old party in the border UT, said the AICC in charge. “Our main focus remains on strengthening the Congress. The public response since the Bharat Jodo Yatra which ended in Srinagar on Jan 30 has been very good,” said Patil.

The AICC in charge further said that the grand old party, which had suffered a setback over the departure of former leader Ghulam Nabi Azad last year, was now regaining ground. “The ground situation has changed. A large number of Azad’s party leaders have returned to the Congress fold. Several leaders from Azad’s DPAP as well as AAP will join the Congress on August 7. Many of these leaders are from Doda which is the district of Ghulam Nabi Azad. These leaders will be welcomed by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge,” said Patil.

The AICC in charge said that the Srinagar party convention had been scheduled for August 6 but had to be postponed due to security reasons over the popular sentiment against the removal of Article 370 in the Kashmir valley on the fourth anniversary August 5.

She said if the opposition parties contest the coming local body polls together it will have a good impact but noted that the Lok Sabha seats would be negotiated between the top leadership of the parties. Out of the total 5 parliamentary seats in the UT, NC has three MPs while the BJP has 2.

“We are confident that the local body polls will be held on time but it is not certain whether the assembly polls will also be conducted or not. But we have to be prepared. Over the coming days I will visit the Leh and Ladakh areas also to discuss local issues with party functionaries to strengthen the organization,” said Patil.