Srinagar: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday met the National Conference leadership here for a possible pre-poll alliance for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.
Soon after interacting with party workers, Gandhi and Kharge visited the residence of NC President Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah on Gupkar Road here.
A Congress party leader said the visiting leaders were meeting Abdullah to discuss a possible pre-poll alliance for the assembly elections.
The leader said that both the parties are discussing at the local level for an alliance.
According to an NC leader, three rounds of discussions have taken place between the parties on the size of the alliance and seat sharing.
"The discussions were held cordially and we are hopeful of an alliance," the NC leader said.
However, he said any decision on forming a pre-poll alliance would be led by both parties.
The two parties had contested the Lok Sabha elections together as part of the India Bloc, with the Congress losing both seats in Jammu, while the NC lost one of the three seats it contested in the Kashmir Valley.
Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases – September 18, September 25 and October 1. Counting of votes will take place on October 4.
Soon after interacting with party workers, Gandhi and Kharge visited the residence of NC President Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah on Gupkar Road here.
A Congress party leader said the visiting leaders were meeting Abdullah to discuss a possible pre-poll alliance for the assembly elections.
The leader said that both the parties are discussing at the local level for an alliance.
According to an NC leader, three rounds of discussions have taken place between the parties on the size of the alliance and seat sharing.
"The discussions were held cordially and we are hopeful of an alliance," the NC leader said.
However, he said any decision on forming a pre-poll alliance would be led by both parties.
The two parties had contested the Lok Sabha elections together as part of the India Bloc, with the Congress losing both seats in Jammu, while the NC lost one of the three seats it contested in the Kashmir Valley.
Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases – September 18, September 25 and October 1. Counting of votes will take place on October 4.
