Srinagar, Aug 19: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief Tariq Hameed Karra announced on Monday that the Congress party is open to forming alliances with like-minded individuals or parties. He also claimed that the National Conference has approached the Congress Central leadership for a potential pre-poll alliance.
“We are open to forging alliances with like-minded people or parties,” Karra said during a gathering at the PCC headquarters in Srinagar. This was his first public address after returning from New Delhi, following his recent appointment as the J&K PCC chief by the party’s high command.
Karra said the Congress is open to forming a “respectable alliance” with like-minded parties for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, but the criteria for such a partnership would differ from those of the Lok Sabha elections.
He criticised Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party, claiming it has been “outrightly rejected” by the people who “punished” the party for its decision to split from Congress.
The JKPCC Chief said the restoration of statehood is a top priority for Congress. He accused the Centre of taking an “unconstitutional” step by demoting Jammu and Kashmir from a state to a Union Territory. All secular parties opposed the BJP’s “hegemonic attitude” to unite against them, he said.
When asked about a possible alliance with the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the J&K Congress Chief explained that the criteria for a coalition during parliamentary elections differ from those for assembly elections.
He mentioned that discussions within the party, both at the Jammu and Kashmir level and with leadership in Delhi, are necessary before any decisions are made.
“We have been assured by our leadership in Delhi that any alliance this time will be respectable, as the parameters set during the parliamentary polls were different and may not apply now,” he said.
Karra, who arrived from Delhi on Monday, was accorded a rousing reception in Srinagar. He was received by hundreds of party workers and Youth Congress workers at Hyderpora, then he was taken to the Congress Office in a bike rally.
He was accorded a rousing reception at the airport. At the Srinagar Congress office, thousands of party workers gathered to welcome him and working presidents.
Former JKPCC President Vikar Rasool Wani also joined the party leaders to welcome the newly appointed JKPCC President and working presidents at Srinagar Party.
On the occasion, AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, former JKPCC President Peerzada Mohd Sayeed, G N Monga, Mohd Anwar Bhat, Surinder Singh Channi, Nissar Ahmad Mundoo, Abdul Gani Khan, Party district Presidents, AICC, PCC Members of Kashmir and various other senior leaders including frontal organizations workers were present.
