INDIA Bloc Stares At Collapse In J&K As Congress Looks For New Allies After PDP, NC's Poor Show In LS Polls

Jammu & Kashmir Election 2024: Ahead of Jammu and Kashmir elections, the INDIA bloc faces a potential rift as Omar Abdullah's PDP and Mehbooba Mufti's NC are likely to contest against each other.

Jammu & Kashmir Election: The Opposition's INDIA bloc could fall apart in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the elections in the Union Territory after nearly a decade. After a poor show by Mehbooba Mufti's PDP and the Congress in Jammu, the PDP is wary of its association with the INDIA bloc allies in Jammu and Kashmir. The PDP won two of the five Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir while the Congress and the PDP failed to open their accounts in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP won two seats and independent candidates won one seat in J&K and the lone Ladakh seat.

According to sources privy to the developments in the crucial INDIA bloc meeting on Tuesday, Mehbooba Mufti's PDP and the Omar Abdullah's National Conference may be seen against each other in the Kashmir Valley during the assembly election. The Congress has also demanded "adequate" seats from both the parties in Kashmir valley for a "fair representation" of the alliance.

This time, the Congress wants to field its candidates in Kashmir as well as Jammu, ABP News sources said. Congress leaders claimed that the defeat of Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah in the Lok Sabha elections in Kashmir has made it clear that the support base of both parties has been limited in the valley.

Meanwhile, Congress said that it is ready for talks with any like-minded party. 

Rahul Gandhi To Visit Jammu And Kashmir

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will be in Jammu and Kashmir on a two-day visit on August 21. The decision comes after the announcement of the dates for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. During his visit, Rahul Gandhi is likely to meet all Opposition leaders, including the National Conference and the PDP. 

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election 2024

The process of assembly elections started in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday with the notification for the first phase of voting. The last date for filing nominations is 27 August. Assembly elections are being held in Jammu and Kashmir after a long wait of 10 years. Voting for the first phase will be held on 18 September.

The other two phases will be held on September 25 and October 1. The results for the election will be declared on October 4.