NC-Congress Alliance Poised to Form Government in J&K
SUHAIL KHAN
SRINAGAR, Oct 08: The National Conference-Congress alliance is on the verge of forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to data from the Election Commission available to Kashmir Despatch, NC has secured 42 seats, while the Congress has won six. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) obtained 29 seats, and the Peoples Democratic Party managed to secure three only. Additionally, seven independent candidates emerged victorious, while the Jammu & Kashmir People’s Conference, Aam Aadmi Party, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) each claimed one seat.
In this election cycle, the NC-Congress formed a pre-poll alliance, with NC contesting 51 of the 90 Assembly seats and the Congress fielding candidates in 32 constituencies. The two parties engaged in “friendly fights” in five other constituencies, leaving one seat for the CPI (M) and another for the J&K National Panthers Party.
As the NC-Congress alliance prepares to take power in J&K, it’s important to reflect on their historically complex relationship.
The counting of votes for the 90 Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, as per Kashmir Despatch Correspondent, began at 8 AM, representing the culmination of an electoral process aimed at establishing an elected government after a six-year hiatus. This electoral cycle follows the collapse of the PDP-BJP coalition on June 20, 2018, and the subsequent abrogation of Article 370.
Jammu and Kashmir has held its first Assembly elections since 2014, marking it as the first to be conducted as a Union Territory and the first since the revocation of Article 370, which previously granted the state special status.
A senior police officer told Kashmir Despatch that, to ensure smooth proceedings throughout the course of these Assembly elections, a three-tier security arrangement was implemented. However, on counting day, strict measures were enforced. The official, however, stated that everything went well and ended on a peaceful note without any untoward incidents reported across the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
He also praised all the security agencies and their personnel for being on alert during these two months to ensure a peaceful environment across the union territory.
Historical Context: The Evolution of NC-Congress Relations
Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah
Relations between Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah improved significantly after the 1975 accord, leading to Abdullah’s appointment as Chief Minister and the revitalization of the NC. However, when Congress withdrew its support in March 1977, the state briefly fell under President’s rule. Abdullah returned to power later that year and remained in office until his death in 1982.
Farooq Abdullah and Congress
Following his father’s death, Farooq Abdullah assumed the Chief Ministership in 1982. Relations soured in July 1984 when Governor Jagmohan dismissed Farooq’s government after it lost support from legislators. Subsequently, unrest escalated in J&K, prompting Rajiv Gandhi to mend ties with Farooq Abdullah. The two parties contested the 1987 Assembly elections as allies, but the elections garnered criticism for alleged rigging.
Omar Abdullah and Congress
In a surprising turn in 1999, Farooq Abdullah aligned with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and his son, Omar Abdullah, became a minister in the Union government. However, the NC’s fortunes waned in the subsequent 2002 Assembly elections, leading to a loss of both power and influence.
Following the break with the NDA in 2003, Omar was elected Chief Minister, and the NC and Congress formed a post-poll alliance. This partnership continued for several years but faced turmoil in subsequent elections. By 2014, both parties parted ways, failing to secure any parliamentary seats.
Despite previous disputes, including disagreements over the creation of new administrative units, the NC and Congress united again in 2017 for local elections and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls jointly, although tensions persisted regarding campaign strategies.
In the most recent elections earlier this year, both parties participated in the Lok Sabha elections as part of the INDIA bloc, with Omar Abdullah’s NC and Rahul Gandhi’s Congress joining forces to contest the Assembly polls once more.
The NC-Congress alliance is now strengthened, showcasing their evolution from historical rivals to partners in governance.
Meanwhile, National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah announced on Tuesday that his son, Omar Abdullah, will be the Chief Minister.
Omar Abdullah, just four months ago, lost the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat to Sheikh Abdul Rashid Alias Er Rashid by over two lakh votes; however, in this Assembly election, he won from two seats, Ganderbal and Budgam, by a significant margin.
Pertinently, the National Conference and Congress contested this Assembly election in alliance on 83 seats altogether: 51 seats were fought by the NC and 32 by the Congress. One seat each was set aside for the CPI (M) and the J&K Panthers Party.
In five seats, both NC and Congress engaged in “friendly contests,” including Sopore, Banihal, Bhaderwah, Doda, Nagrota, and Baramulla.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
