Kharge, Rahul reach J&K to finalise tie-up for Assembly election

Top Congress leaders visit Srinagar ahead of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election, negotiating pre-poll alliance with National Conference.

Top Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday (August 21, 2024) on a two-day visit ahead of the first-ever Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir after it was made a Union Territory.

Their visit comes in the midst of hectic backchannel dialogue between the Congress and the National Conference (NC) to iron out details regarding a pre-poll alliance for the election to be held next month.

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Mr. Kharge and Mr. Gandhi received a rousing reception from Congress supporters on their arrival in Srinagar. The duo met Congress leaders from J&K, including State president Tariq Hameed Karra and Ghulam Ahmad Mir, for their inputs on the “poll strategy for the upcoming Assembly election”.

“Mr. Khargeji and Rahul Gandhiji will be visiting Jammu and Srinagar for key meetings in preparation for the upcoming Assembly election,” Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said.

Party sources said there were “a few sticky points” between the Congress and the NC regarding a pre-poll alliance, as negotiations between second-rung leadership were on for a few days. The sticky points might be left to the top leadership of the Congress and the Abdullahs of the NC to find a solution, they added. 

Sources said Mr. Gandhi, who is likely to open direct channels of communications with the Abdullahs, will announce a final decision on the pre-poll alliance by Friday.