<p>Srinagar: The upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/jammu-and-kashmir">Jammu and Kashmir</a>, scheduled to fill all four seats vacant since 2021, are emerging as a litmus test for the year-old alliance between the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/national-conference">National Conference</a> (NC) and the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/congress">Congress</a>, with reports of a ‘deadlock’ over seat-sharing arrangements threatening to strain ties.</p><p>Sources close to the developments said the NC has offered its alliance partner a “risky” seat in the elections, while the Congress is pressing for one of the three relatively safer seats. “Talks between the leadership of both parties are still underway. If the NC does not concede a safer seat, Congress may opt to stay away from the contest,” said a source.</p><p>The stakes are high, as the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/bjp">BJP</a> holds a clear advantage on the fourth seat, making the decision over the ‘risky’ seat crucial. The ruling alliance is expected to comfortably win three seats, while the BJP, with 28 votes, remains well-positioned to capture the fourth.</p>.Supreme Court gives Centre more time to respond to pleas on restoration of Jammu & Kashmir statehood.<p>On Friday, the NC announced the candidature of Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Sajad Kichloo, and Shammi Oberoi for the polls. However, the fourth seat, where the NC has offered the Congress candidate, remains contentious.</p><p>Analysts say the current standoff reflects the fragile nature of the NC-Congress partnership. Last October, the Congress had opted out from the NC-led government under Omar Abdullah after seeking two ministries but being offered only one. The alliance, despite winning 49 of 90 assembly seats, saw Congress secure just six of the 39 seats it contested, performing poorly in the Jammu region where it was expected to challenge the BJP directly.</p><p>Political observers suggest that if the NC persists with offering the risky seat, the Congress could either reluctantly field its candidate or stay out of the contest entirely. “A decision to sit out could signal cracks in the alliance,” said a senior political analyst.</p><p>With the Rajya Sabha polls just 10-days away, all eyes will be on whether the two allies can reconcile differences and present a united front, or if unresolved tensions will hand the BJP a strategic advantage.</p>
<p>Srinagar: The upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/jammu-and-kashmir">Jammu and Kashmir</a>, scheduled to fill all four seats vacant since 2021, are emerging as a litmus test for the year-old alliance between the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/national-conference">National Conference</a> (NC) and the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/congress">Congress</a>, with reports of a ‘deadlock’ over seat-sharing arrangements threatening to strain ties.</p><p>Sources close to the developments said the NC has offered its alliance partner a “risky” seat in the elections, while the Congress is pressing for one of the three relatively safer seats. “Talks between the leadership of both parties are still underway. If the NC does not concede a safer seat, Congress may opt to stay away from the contest,” said a source.</p><p>The stakes are high, as the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/bjp">BJP</a> holds a clear advantage on the fourth seat, making the decision over the ‘risky’ seat crucial. The ruling alliance is expected to comfortably win three seats, while the BJP, with 28 votes, remains well-positioned to capture the fourth.</p>.Supreme Court gives Centre more time to respond to pleas on restoration of Jammu & Kashmir statehood.<p>On Friday, the NC announced the candidature of Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Sajad Kichloo, and Shammi Oberoi for the polls. However, the fourth seat, where the NC has offered the Congress candidate, remains contentious.</p><p>Analysts say the current standoff reflects the fragile nature of the NC-Congress partnership. Last October, the Congress had opted out from the NC-led government under Omar Abdullah after seeking two ministries but being offered only one. The alliance, despite winning 49 of 90 assembly seats, saw Congress secure just six of the 39 seats it contested, performing poorly in the Jammu region where it was expected to challenge the BJP directly.</p><p>Political observers suggest that if the NC persists with offering the risky seat, the Congress could either reluctantly field its candidate or stay out of the contest entirely. “A decision to sit out could signal cracks in the alliance,” said a senior political analyst.</p><p>With the Rajya Sabha polls just 10-days away, all eyes will be on whether the two allies can reconcile differences and present a united front, or if unresolved tensions will hand the BJP a strategic advantage.</p>