SRINAGAR: Post-elections, the focus in J&K has shifted to the counting of votes on October 8 for the 90-member Assembly. J&K Congress chief Tariq Hamid Karra on Wednesday said the party is open to support from like-minded parties and individuals in government formation.
“If there is no misadventure, there is a clear-cut peoples’ mandate against this anti-people policies of the government. We can say that people have voted in favour of the NC-Congress alliance to keep BJP out of power,” said Karra on the sidelines of a function.
Asked whether Congress would approach the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP or other parties in case National Conference-Congress failed short of the majority mark, he said, “If need arises, our doors are open for like-minded forces, parties and individuals.”
He also said that in case support is needed for government formation, “we will talk with our alliance partner to start a dialogue with the like-minded forces.” When asked whether PDP also figured in the like-minded parties, Karra, who was a founding member of the PDP before quitting the party in 2016, said, “I will not like to qualify anybody. I said like minded against BJP’s repressive and oppressive policies. They can be anyone, any party and anybody.”
PDP chief and former CM Mehbooba Mufti has said her party would support any secular government.
Mehbooba’s PDP wanted to be a part of the NC-Congress alliance but after strong opposition from NC vice president Omar Abdullah, the party was kept out of the alliance in both Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
This was despite the fact that Abdullahs shared the stage with Mehbooba during the meetings of Gupkar Alliance, which was formed after Article 370 abrogation by the NC, PDP and a few others to fight for the restoration of the Article. The three-phase polling in J&K ended on October 1. The counting will take place on October 8.
In response to a question whether independent candidates could emerge as kingmakers in J&K, Karra said they see the independents as “spoilers.”