Saving the alliance

21/03/2019

Sealing an alliance after days of hectic parleys, the Congress and National Conference announced they will fight two and one Lok Sabha seats respectively, while agreeing on a "friendly contest" on the rest three constituencies. In a joint press conference, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and NC chief Farooq Abdullah said that while the Congress will contest on the Jammu and Udhampur seats, the National Conference will fight from Srinagar. There will be a "friendly contest" between the two parties on the Baramulla, Anantnag and Ladakh seats. Earlier a deadlock prevailed over National Conference-Congress tie-up with NC Parliamentary Board (NCPB) in its extended meeting firmly ruled out any tie-up with the Congress after which two 'Mahagath bandhan' partners rang up NC president, DrFarooq Abdullah and insisted upon him to reconsider the decision while Congress high command deputed Leader of Opposition in RajyaSabha and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad to Jammu for fresh negotiations to save the alliance.The NCPB also approved the name of Retired High Court Judge Justice Hasnain Masoodi for South Kashmir's Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, delivering a jolt to the Congress, which wanted the seat for its State president, GA Mir in the event of an alliance.
Friendly contest means that we will not go hard against each other and at the same time will make a joint efforts to defeat the opponents. Whether they (NC) win or we, it will make no difference because the (seats) will add to the national kitty said Azad. The alliance has been finalised in national interest and will strengthen the secular forces in J&K as the state faces threat from Pakistan, Azad said. "Live and let live." Farooq appealed to the Congress to exhibit magnanimity and reach out to like-minded parties in other parts of the country to safeguard the secular character of the nation. The country is faced with dangers from Pakistan and other neighbouring countries and the people living on the border in J&K are the worst sufferers of the animosity between India and Pakistan, he also said.

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