NEW DELHI:  In an important political development, the National Conference (NC) has officially forged an alliance with the Congress party to contest all 90 assembly seats in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir elections. This partnership marks a notable shift from the 2014 elections, where both parties ran separately, contributing to a fragmented political landscape in which the NC had won 15 seats and the Congress 12.

NC President Farooq Abdullah confirmed the alliance during a press briefing, stating that the agreement was finalized after a cordial meeting with Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Abdullah expressed optimism about the collaboration, saying, "The alliance is on track and, God willing, it will run smoothly." The formal signing of the alliance is expected to take place shortly after this announcement.

According to senior leaders, under the terms of the agreement, the NC will contest 51 seats, while the Congress will field candidates in 32 seats, and some allies will also be accommodated. This strategic arrangement aims to consolidate votes against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which in 2014 with 25 seats had formed an alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party led by  Mehbooba Mufti which had emerged as the single-largest party with 28 seats. The coalition collapsed in 2018 after the BJP withdrew support and Governor’s Rule was imposed in June. 

Though Abdullah has hinted at the possibility of including the PDP in a post-election coalition, suggesting a broader alliance among members of the INDIA bloc, which seeks to present a united front against the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir there is no clarity on this front since the two regional parties continue to have a tumultuous relationship. 

In spite of the fact that PDP and NC despite being part of the INDIA bloc are also partners in the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), the two main regional parties of the region were unable to reach a seat-sharing pact for the recently held Lok Sabha elections, accusing each other of violating the coalition agreement. On the other hand, the NC and Congress contested the polls together, with the former winning two of the three seats, the Congress and PDP were unable to win a single Lok Sabha seat.