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J&K: Congress, PDP announce support for NC in Rajya Sabha polls
National Conference appears comfortable on three seats, contest tough for the fourth one; J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra says the party has decided to keep its differences with the NC on the back-burner
For the Rajya Sabha polls tomorrow, the Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have pledged their support to the ruling National Conference (NC), making the contest tough on the fourth seat.
The elections to four Rajya Sabha seats will be held on Friday at J&K assembly. The NC appears to be in a comfortable position for three seats but the contest with the BJP for the fourth seat is expected to be tough.
PDP president and J&K’s former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said three PDP legislators would vote for the NC on the third seat. “A few days back, I got a phone call from NC president Farooq Abdullah seeking our votes for Rajya Sabha polls. I told him that we would support the NC if the government helps in passage of certain important bills in the assembly, especially the land regularisation bill for poor people and regularisation of daily wagers,” she said.
She said NC candidate Shami Oberoi met her, and the chief minister assured her that pro-people bills won’t be stopped. “We have three votes and want to keep communal forces out. Unfortunately, the NC doesn’t think in a similar way,” she said while referring to the fate of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), which was dissolved last year.
“The NC can’t be trusted, but the PDP will support them for a bigger cause in the Rajya Sabha polls. We hope our bills will be passed as we trust the words of NC president Farooq Abdullah,” she said.
According to Mehbooba, her party has only three votes and it wants to give preference on the third seat which is being contested by Shammi Oberoi. “We don’t want to vote on the fourth seat as if they lose their fourth seat, then they (NC) will blame us,” she said.
NC chief whip Mubarak Gul has issued a whip, asking all its legislators to remain present in the House for the Rajya Sabha elections.
J&K Pradesh Congress Committee Tariq Hameed Karra has announced the party’s decision to support the NC. The party has six legislators in the assembly. “The Congress has decided to keep its differences with the National Conference on the back-burner,” Karra said.
“The upcoming Rajya Sabha elections have posed a new challenge. We sincerely hope that the National Conference keeps its flock together. In that endeavor, we extend our full support. Our six MLAs will support them,” he added.
