Srinagar, Oct 23 (PTI) Setting aside differences, the Congress on Thursday said its six MLAs will vote for candidates of alliance partner National Conference in the polls to four Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a letter to NC president Farooq Abdullah, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Tariq Hamid Karra called the decision “a principled stand to keep the BJP away”.
The Congress’ decision to vote in favour of NC comes hours after the PDP made a similar pledge. Earlier in the day, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti announced its support to the NC, saying it wanted to keep the “fascist forces” out.
In his letter, Karra said the party has decided to support the NC candidates in the Rajya Sabha elections to be held on Friday.
While the NC is expected to have a smooth sailing on three seats, the latest developments have turned the battle for the fourth seat a close contest.
Karra said the party’s decision to support the NC candidates stems from Congress’ “principled stand” in spite of the regional party refusing a safe seat to it.
“Post discussions on sharing of four Rajya Sabha seats between us, it was not so pleasant an experience in the backdrop of expectations and understanding we had arrived at the time of forging the alliance. However, the hiccups that generally occur in such arrangements, it doesn’t deter us from taking a principled stand,” he said.
The JKPCC chief said it has been very enduring for the Congress as a party of values and as an ardent lover of secular ethos to forego personal and party interests if confronting to a larger cause.
“Our electoral alliance with your party (NC) in 2024 assembly polls emanated from this larger commitment of ours, besides our dislike for the BJP who have been imposing agonies on people of J&K. It was our desire to stand united and serve the suffering people hand in hand, which we did irrespective of negativities that were involved during the course of partnership,” the letter said.
Karra told the NC president that the Congress party cadre and its MLAs bore “instant humiliations and your apathy” in the last one year since the alliance.
“Sad as this appears our one-year experience has been of disappointment. Our party colleagues in assembly in particular and the party cadre in general bore instant humiliations and your apathy. Though we were never partners in compulsion nor would we ever be,” he added.
He, however, said the party has now again chosen to be on the NC’s side “primarily and necessarily to stand united against what we call BJP agenda of atrocities and subjugation”.
“It bears no mention that the Congress as a party could ever be questioned for any move, intent or act directed to defeat communal forces in general and the BJP in particular. In this backdrop, having or not having a share in seats of any institutions even as legitimate, is immaterial for us and our persistent pro-people struggle,” he said.
Karra said the Congress feels happy as a party of ethos to keep all differences on “back burner at this hour of paramount challenges” and with pleasure convey “our decision to vote for NC Candidates as candidates of alliance”.
“Let it bear a mention that our central leadership has again been generous to guide us to this decision. Onus is now on you to prove yourself,” he added. PTI SSB MIJ KVK KVK
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