Cong issues show-cause notices after leaders file nominations against ally NC’s candidates

The party has sought explanations from at least five leaders for their “breach of alliance unity” and threatened “strict disciplinary action”.

Congress show cause notice, Congress leaders file nominations against ally National Conference

In a statement, the Congress said that the party has sought explanations from these leaders within three days, “failing which strict disciplinary action shall be initiated against them”. (File photo)

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Friday issued show-cause notices to several party leaders who have filed nomination papers as Independents in Assembly seat allotted to its ally, the National Conference (NC), labelling their move as a “breach of alliance unity” and “against the alliance spirit”.

The NC and the Congress stitched a pre-poll alliance last month ahead of the Assembly polls that are set to begin September 18. According to their seat-sharing agreement the NC is contesting 51 of the 90 Assembly seats and the Congress 31 seats. On the five seats where negotiations stalled, the parties decided on a friendly contest. Of these five seats, only one – Sopore – is in the Kashmir Valley, while four others are in the Jammu region.

However, several Congress leaders have filed nominations as Independent candidates in seats that the NC is set to contest as part of the seat-sharing pact.

These include former Srinagar district party president Imtiyaz Khan, contesting the Eidgah constituency in the Srinagar district. The NC has nominated veteran leader Mubarak Gul in this constituency.

Congress leader Waseem Shala is contesting the Khanyar seat in Srinagar, where the NC’s general secretary and former Cabinet minister Ali Mohammad Sagar is the alliance candidate. Former Congress leader Asif Ahmed Beigh will contest the Habba Kadal seat as an Independent candidate against the NC’s senior leader Shamim Firdous.

In the Lal Chowk seat, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat is contesting as an Independent against the NC’s provincial vice-president Sheikh Ahsan. Meanwhile, Irfan Shah is contesting the Central Shalteng seat against the J&K Congress chief, Tariq Hameed Karra.

The Congress, however, is yet to clarify the total number of party members who were issued show-cause notices on Friday. However, these seats are among those the party was negotiating for during the seat-sharing talks with the NC. At the time, NC sources had stated that the Congress was being “unreasonable” in asking for these seats.

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In a statement, the Congress said that the party has sought explanations from these leaders within three days, “failing which strict disciplinary action shall be initiated against them”.

During the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year, the Congress and NC had agreed on a seat-sharing arrangement for J&K and Ladakh. As part of their deal, the Congress was set to contest the Ladakh parliamentary constituency. However, the entire Kargil unit of the NC resigned in disagreement with the party’s decision. The NC district president Mohammad Haneefa had contested the seat as an Independent and defeated both the Congress and BJP contestants to win the seat.