All options open, says Cong on bypolls for two vacant Assembly seats

The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Saturday said it was weighing all options regarding fielding candidates for the two Assembly seats where bypolls are scheduled for November 11.

The elections will be held in the Budgam constituency in Kashmir and Nagrota in Jammu. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Friday that while the National Conference would contest the Budgam seat, it would support the Congress candidate from Nagrota if fielded.

However, speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Karra said the party high command would take the final call. “They (NC) have said it (support for Nagrota seat), but we have put the case before our central high command and are waiting for their response,” Karra said.

When asked whether the party might contest both seats, Karra replied that the decision lay with the leadership but added that “all options are open.”

The MLA from Central Shalteng said the Congress had resumed its ‘Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq’ campaign to press for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The programme, he said, was initially suspended following the Pahalgam attack and later delayed by the “war-like situation” and subsequent floods. “Now it will be held in all districts across J&K,” he said.

Asked about the alliance’s internal relations after the Congress accused the NC of denying it a “safe seat” in the Rajya Sabha elections, Karra remarked: “Who said it is not (fine)?” He added that the comments following the “snub” were natural, as “the Congress leadership at the highest level did not expect there would be a U-turn or backtracking on their request” by the NC.