Congress, NC announce seat-sharing pact for J&K, Ladakh

Srinagar, Apr 8: In a significant development ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and the National Conference (NC) have unveiled a seat-sharing agreement for the constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The announcement was made during a joint press conference led by senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, former Union Minister, alongside National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah and Congress leader Pawan Khera.
Under this arrangement, the Congress will field candidates in the Jammu, Udhampur, and Ladakh parliamentary constituencies, while the National Conference will contest from Anantnag-Rajouri, Srinagar, and Baramulla Lok Sabha seats.

Omar Abdullah, expressing confidence in the alliance, declared that the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will collectively contest all six constituencies. While candidates have been finalized for Udhampur, Jammu, and Anantnag-Rajouri, nominations for Srinagar, Baramulla, and Ladakh are forthcoming.
The political battleground in Kashmir intensified further as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced its candidates for three Lok Sabha seats in the region. PDP leader Sartaj Madni disclosed that former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti will lead the charge from the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency.
Mufti’s candidacy sets the stage for a showdown against Ghulam Nabi Azad, the leader of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat.
The electoral calendar for the Union Territory outlines polling dates spread across the first five phases, with Udhampur scheduled for April 19, Jammu for April 26, Anantnag-Rajouri for May 7, Srinagar for May 13, and Baramulla for May 20.
With nearly 97 crore eligible voters nationwide, the Lok Sabha elections will witness contests for 543 constituencies across seven phases, commencing on April 19 and concluding with the vote counting scheduled for June 4.