Amid reports that the National Conference has reopened communication channels with the Congress for a potential alliance in the Assembly elections, the newly appointed president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Tariq Hameed Karra, stated on Monday that the party is open to forming alliances with all like-minded parties.
Speaking at the PCC headquarters in Srinagar, Karra emphasized that the Congress is not opposed to alliances with parties sharing similar ideologies.
"We are open to alliances with any party or individual who opposes the hegemony and dictatorial policies of the BJP," he asserted, adding, "Those who oppose the BJP's policies are welcome to form alliances with the Congress."
Karra expressed confidence that the constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc would contest the assembly elections jointly in J&K. He stressed the importance of strengthening the INDIA alliance concept in the region.
Highlighting the Congress's resurgence in Jammu and Kashmir following Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, Karra claimed that the situation has improved and the morale of party workers is high.
"There is a feel-good factor in Jammu and Kashmir after the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and we need to synchronize, channelize, and capitalize on this factor for the benefit of the people," he said.
Restoration of statehood important to Congress
Karra said that the restoration of statehood is of utmost importance for Congress and termed downgrading a full-fledged state into a Union Territory as an unconstitutional step. Karra, who recently replaced Vikar Rasool Wani as the J&K Congress chief, called for all secular parties opposed to the BJP's hegemonic attitude to unite.
Karra noted that the NC and Congress had formed an alliance in the Lok Sabha polls, but Mehbooba Mufti's PDP was not part of it and had accused the NC of violating the spirit of the Gupkar alliance.
Karra, 69, hails from a prominent political family in Srinagar. He joined the Congress in 2017 after leaving Mehbooba Mufti's party. He has been a strong critic of the PDP-BJP alliance and won the Lok Sabha election from Srinagar in 2014, defeating National Conference's Farooq Abdullah for the first time in four decades.
Discussing the issues the Congress would focus on in the assembly polls, Karra stated that the party's political stance is clear and it seeks the full restoration of democracy. "Statehood must be restored, and laws imposed on us must be reviewed. These matters must be addressed," he said.
