As uncertainty looms over the alliance in the Jammu and Kashmir political landscape, the Congress High Command has taken swift action by dispatching a high-powered Lok Sabha candidate screening committee to the region. Headed by Former Minister of State Bhakta Charan Das, the committee, including Rajya Sabha Member Neeraj Dangi, arrived in Jammu this afternoon.
Sources within the Congress reveal that the screening committee’s mandate is to assess potential candidates for all five Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir. This move comes amidst ambiguity regarding the fate of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance in the newly formed Union Territory.
Several prominent leaders, including former J&K Chief GA Mir, working president Raman Bhalla, and Vice President Ravinder Sharma, Former Dy CM and Sr. Leader Tara Chand, Sr. Vice President Thakur Balwan Singhare vying for candidature in the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls 2024 across all five seats in Jammu and Kashmir. The screening committee will scrutinize contenders for each seat before submitting a comprehensive report to the high command.
Congress’ strategic approach involves leveraging party cadre aspirations to establish a strong presence in Kashmir’s Lok Sabha seats. Congress Vice-President Ravinder Sharma highlighted the party’s robust performance in Rajouri, securing 3.75 lakh votes. He asserted that the cadre is eager to contest not only in Anantnag but also in Srinagar and Baramulla, challenging the National Conference’s 2019 victory. Sharma emphasized ongoing discussions with potential allies like NC and PDP, leaving the final decision to the High Command.
Contrarily, the National Conference (NC) rebuffed Congress’s claim to the Rajouri-Anantnag Lok Sabha seat. NC spokesperson Zeeshan Rana contended that the votes Congress received in 2019 in Rajouri and Poonch were actually from the National Conference, as they provided unconditional support in the region. Rana stressed the robust NC cadre in Rajouri Poonch and reiterated their intent to contest all three seats they won in 2019. The unfolding dynamics of seat allocation and alliance negotiations are anticipated in the coming days.
