Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Saturday said it was considering all possibilities regarding fielding candidates for the upcoming bypolls to two assembly seats in the Union Territory, scheduled for November 11.
The by-elections are set to take place in the Budgam constituency in the Kashmir Valley and Nagrota in the Jammu region.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had earlier announced that his party, the National Conference (NC), would contest the Budgam seat and support the Congress candidate in Nagrota—if the party decides to field one.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Karra said the final decision would be taken by the party high command.
“They (NC) have expressed their support for the Nagrota seat, but we have placed the matter before our central leadership and are awaiting their decision,” Karra said.
When asked whether the Congress might contest both seats, Karra reiterated that the call rests with the central leadership but added, “All options are open.”
Karra, who represents the Central Shalteng constituency, also said the party has resumed its ‘Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq’ campaign to demand the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
He explained that the programme had been suspended earlier due to the Pahalgam terror attack, the tense border situation, and recent cloudburst-induced floods, but it will now be held across all districts of the Union Territory.
On reports of tension between the NC and Congress following disagreements over the Rajya Sabha elections, Karra dismissed any rift, saying, “Who said it’s not fine?”
He added that any remarks made after the “snub” by the NC were natural, as the Congress leadership “did not expect a U-turn or backtracking” from their coalition partner.
