"At no point did Congress raise objections to our manifesto" JKNC leader Omar Abdullah

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 26 : After the Congress and National Conference (NC) on Monday announced the seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, NC Vice President Omar Abdullah said that at no point in time did the Congress party raised any objections to their manifesto.
"At no point in time did the Congress party raise any objections to our manifesto. In the initial stages of our discussions at the local level, they had asked whether we would consider a common minimum program. We told them very clearly that the common minimum program would arrive after we won an election...If National Conference and Congress receive the support of people then we will form a common minimum program for governance for the next five years," he said.
Abdullah said that it was difficult for the NC and Congress to leave the five friendly seats so both the parties decided to field their candidates on these seats.
"Out of the five friendly seats, there were three seats which were difficult for us to leave and on two seats it was difficult for the Congress party to leave. So, we decided that on these five seats, both the parties will field their candidates," he said.
Speaking on the BJP's second list of candidates for the J-K Assembly elections, the NC leader said, "BJP should focus on setting its house in order...For the first time, I saw that the BJP deleted its list within 10 minutes of releasing it. Today, chairs were broken in their offices."
According to the seat-sharing pact reached by the two parties for the assembly polls in J-K, the National Conference will contest 51 of 90 seats and Congress 32. The two parties will also have a "friendly contest" on five seats.
The two parties have left one seat each for CPI(M) and Panthers Party.
Making the announcement, Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra said the two parties have reached the seat-sharing agreement by understanding "sensitivities of each other".
He said some seats were difficult and they would have a "friendly contest in a disciplined manner".
The seat-sharing pact was declared a day before the last day of filing nominations for the first phase of elections on September 18 for 24 seats.
"National Conference will contest on 51 seats, Congress on 32 and we have agreed to have a friendly but disciplined contest on 5 seats. Over and above these 88 seats, we have left 1 seat for CPI (M) and 1 seat for Panthers Party," Karra said at a press conference.
Congress leader KC Venugopal, who was also present, said they would fight together and "form the government" in Jammu and Kashmir.
"BJP is trying to destroy the soul of Jammu and Kashmir. Our INDIA alliance's main objective is to save the soul of Jammu and Kashmir so that is why Congress and the National Conference are coming together to make a government in Jammu and Kashmir that will be totally friendly with the people of J-K. We have done a discussion and entered into a formula which our leaders will share now. We will fight together, we will win J-K. We will form the government in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its first list of candidates for the Jammu and Kashmir elections.
The initial list includes 15 candidates, with the party aiming to represent various communities and castes. The list features candidates from both the Jammu and Kashmir regions.
The party subsequently announced its candidate for the Kokernag seat as well.
Sources indicate that the BJP has sought to reflect the region's diverse demographic composition and strengthen its outreach to different communities.
The party has fielded Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi from Pampore, Arshid Bhat from Rajpora, Javed Ahmad Qadri from Shopian, Mohammad Rafiq Wani from Anantnag West, and Syed Wazahat from Anantnag. Veer Saraf is the candidate from Shangus-Anantnag East.
The party has also fielded Sofi Yousuf from Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Tariq Keen from Inderwal, and Salim Bhat from Banihal. Shagun Parihar, the only woman on the list, will contest from Kishtwar.
Additionally, the BJP has fielded Sunil Sharma from Padder-Nagseni, Daleep Singh Parihar from Bhadarwah, Gajay Singh Rana from Doda, Shakti Raj Parihar from Doda West, and Rakesh Thakur from Ramban.
Choudhary Roshan Hussain Gujjar will contest from Kokernag.
Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4.
Voting will be held for 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Election Commission, the Union Territory has 88.06 lakh electors.