National Conference President Farooq Abdullah will contest from Srinagar. (File Photo)
The National Conference and the Congress today announced that they will fight the by-elections to the Lok Sabha seats of Srinagar and Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir as allies.
National Conference President Farooq Abdullah will contest from Srinagar while state Congress leader GA Mir will contest from Anantnag, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the media.
"We have had exhaustive deliberations within the NC and so has the Congress to work out a joint strategy to give a fight to the ruling PDP in Srinagar and Anantnag," the Omar Abdullah said.
"After exhaustive exercise, it has been decided the National Conference and the Congress would fight the by-elections jointly. The Congress has assured us that all its workers and well-wishers will ensure a landslide victory for Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar while our rank and file in Anantnag will work for the victory of Mir Sahab," he told the media.
Asked how confident he was of winning, Mr Abdullah said, "Nobody can go into elections with 100 per cent surety but we are pretty sure of winning both these seats."
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced that Tasaduq Hussain Sayeed, brother of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, would contest from Anantnag, and Nazir Ahmad Khan, who defected from the Congress, from Srinagar.
By-polls to Srinagar and Anantnag Lok Sabha constituencies in Kashmir would be held on April 9 and 12, respectively. The Anantnag seat fell vacant in June last after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti won the assembly elections and resigned from the Lok Sabha. The Srinagar Lok Sabha seat was vacated by former PDP leader Tariq Hamid Karra, who had resigned in protest against alleged "brutalities" on protesters in the Valley.