Srinagar, Aug 18: Congress leader Alka Lamba on Sunday said the decision regarding an alliance with regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir for the upcoming assembly elections will be made by the party’s central leadership.
Speaking to reporters in the Verinag area of Anantnag district, Lamba said that while the Congress had a successful alliance during the Lok Sabha polls, where they won two out of three seats in Kashmir, the decision for the assembly polls will be determined after discussions between the party’s central and local leadership.
She said this during a women’s convention organised by AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir and presided over by Lamba, who serves as the President of the All India Mahila Congress.
Lamba expressed the party’s openness to welcoming all individuals in the fight to preserve democracy and the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir. She made these remarks in response to rumors about Ghulam Nabi Azad rejoining the Congress while addressing the media at the Nari Nyay Sammelan event in Verinag, Anantnag.
Alka said that the Congress is fully prepared for the upcoming elections, having already begun its campaign in Jammu and Kashmir. While other parties are still in the discussion phase, the Congress has hit the ground running, with full support from the people, she said.
When asked about the possibility of Azad returning to the party, Lamba refrained from commenting on rumors but reiterated that the Congress has a “big heart” and is open to welcoming back those who have left.
“I can’t comment on rumors, and I didn’t speak to Azad Ji, so I don’t know. But the Congress has a big heart; it was his (Azad’s) decision, not the Congress’s. So, now I will say that the Congress has a big heart. Those who left and now want to return are welcome; some have already rejoined in Delhi. We welcome everyone with a big heart because this fight is to win the democracy and constitution of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
Lamba also addressed issues concerning women’s safety across India, criticizing the government’s response to crimes against women and calling out the hollow promises of the “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” campaign.
On the subject of potential alliances for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections, Lamba mentioned that while the Congress successfully partnered with the National Conference in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, decisions regarding alliances in the state assembly will be made after consultations with local leadership, with further details to be shared by senior leaders in due course.
With PTI inputs
