Congress opts out of ‘risky’ RS seat, deepens rift with NC in J&K alliance

Srinagar: The uneasy alliance between the National Conference (NC) and Congress in Jammu and Kashmir hit another rough patch on Sunday after the latter announced that it would not contest the “risky” Rajya Sabha seat offered by its senior partner.

Following a four-and-a-half-hour marathon meeting in Srinagar, the Jammu & Kashmir Congress decided to opt out of the race for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, which the NC had earmarked for it under the seat-sharing arrangement.

J&K Congress President Tariq Hamid Karra told reporters that after “threadbare discussions,” party leaders concluded that contesting seat number four was not strategically viable.

“Our central leadership had sought a safer seat—either seat number 1 or 2. However, the National Conference offered us seat number 4, which is comparatively less safe. Given the circumstances, it was unanimously decided that we will not field a candidate for seat number 4 and will leave the decision to our alliance partners,” Karra said.

He added that the party’s position had been formally communicated to the NC leadership. “We wrote to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who asked us to forward the letter to Dr Farooq Abdullah. We have done that but are yet to receive any response,” Karra said.

He also revealed that many Congress members voiced discontent over the functioning of the alliance government, citing “governance and development deficits” and the “absence of a coordination committee” between the two parties.

The development underscores the increasing strain within the NC–Congress alliance, which has been struggling to maintain cohesion since it’s formation before Assembly elections last year.

The Congress high command, sources said, has also sought clarity from the J&K unit on its continued partnership with the NC amid growing dissatisfaction at the grassroots level. The alliance was seen as a tactical move to consolidate the anti-BJP vote in the Union Territory last year.

However, fault lines have persisted ever since. Analysts say the latest standoff over the Rajya Sabha seat could widen the trust deficit between the two parties.

“This is more than a disagreement over one seat. It reflects the larger malaise in the NC–Congress understanding, which lacks clarity and mutual respect,” a senior political observer said.

With the Congress refusing to take the offer and the NC yet to respond, the coalition faces another test of unity at a time when opposition cohesion is seen as crucial in countering the BJP’s expanding influence in Jammu and Kashmir.