SRINAGAR: The friendly contest between allies National Conference (NC) and Congress on two Valley seats—Anantnag in south Kashmir and Baramulla in north Kashmir—would make the election interesting, but also give an edge to embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti.
As per the seat sharing agreement between NC and the Congress, NC will not contest two Jammu seats and the Congress will not field any candidate for the Srinagar seat. Both parties will field candidates for three other seats, including two in the Valley and the lone seat in Ladakh.
Political observers are of the view that the “friendly contest” between the two parties for the two Valley seats would divide votes and help the PDP, which is otherwise facing anger in the Valley for its three-year alliance with the BJP in the state.