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Rahul Gandhi, Kharge meet Abdullahs ahead of J&K polls; Farooq confirms alliance ‘on all 90 seats’
Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called on the National Conference leadership at Farooq Abdullah's residence in Srinagar.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met with National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar on Thursday to discuss a possible pre-poll alliance for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.
Farooq Abdullah described the meeting, which took place at his residence on Gupkar Road, as "cordial" and “on track”.
“The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere. The alliance is on track and it will go on well with God's grace...It is final, it will be approved by this evening...This (alliance) has been done on all 90 seats,” the former chief minister told reporters.
Abdullah further said, "CPI(M)'s (MY) Tarigami is also with us. I hope our people are with us too and that we win with a huge majority to improve the lives of the people."
Read: Why Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge did not have Wazwan in Srinagar? Rahul Gandhi replies
Kharge shared images of the meeting on X, and said, “We, along with Shri Rahul Gandhi, had a warm courtesy meeting with Shri Farooq Abdullah and JKNC Vice President, Shri Omar Abdullah in Srinagar, today.”
The potential alliance comes after both parties contested the Lok Sabha elections together as part of the INDIA bloc. Despite the alliance, the Congress lost both of its seats in Jammu, and the NC lost one of the three seats it contested in the Kashmir Valley.
The assembly elections, which will be held in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, are seen as crucial for both parties as they seek to strengthen their position in the region.
What Rahul Gandhi said on Jammu and Kashmir's statehood
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi reiterated the Congress party's commitment to restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is our priority and also of the INDIA bloc to restore statehood in J-K as soon as possible... We are hoping that statehood will be restored as soon as possible and the democratic rights of the people of J-K will be restored,” Gandhi said at a press conference after an interaction with party workers in Srinagar.
The Congress leader said he has "a very deep relation" with the people of J-K and it is always a pleasure for him to visit here.
With PTI inputs
