Srinagar, Mar 18: The National Conference Monday decided to contest all six Lok Sabha seats in the state, even though it still left a slim possibility of an alliance with the Congress “based on the national scenario”.
The National Conference and the Congress have been in talks for the past few days for a pre-poll alliance.
The Parliamentary board of the National Conference met here this evening after which a decision to contest all the six Lok Sabha seats was taken, the party said.
Seemingly, the talks could not move as there were differences over seat-sharing, sources said.
But, in what could be seen as a possible opportunity for a tie-up, NC sources said the party’s Parliamentary board left the final decision on party’s patron Farooq Abdullah “based on the national scenario”.
Meanwhile, an NC spokesman said Abdullah will seek reelection from the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat while former Jammu and Kashmir Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone will be the party’s candidate from the Baramulla constituency.
The names of the candidates for other constituencies will be finalised in the next meeting of the board, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile in Jammu, National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today announced two candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Kashmir region.
Jahangir Ahmed Khan will contest from Baramulla constituency and Abdul Rashid Ganie from Srinagar constituency, a party spokesman said.
The candidates were approved by the parliamentary board of JKNPP. The candidate for the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat will be announced soon, he added.
