NC, Congress to fight Lok Sabha by-elections jointly

Srinagar March 15 (IANS) The National Conference and the Congress announced on Wednesday they will fight the by-elections to the Lok Sabha from Srinagar and Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir as allies.

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah will contest from Srinagar while state Congress leader G.A. Mir will be the candidate at Anantnag former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the media.

We have had exhaustive deliberations within the NC and so has the Congress to work out a joint strategy to give a fight to the ruling PDP in Srinagar and Anantnag the National Conference leader said here.

After exhaustive exercise it has been decided the National Conference and the Congress would fight the by-elections jointly.

The Congress has assured us that all its workers and well-wishers will ensure a landslide victory for Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar while our rank and file in Anantnag will work for the victory of Mir Sahab he told the media.

Asked how confident he was of winning Omar Abdullah said: Nobody can go into elections with 100 per cent surety but we are pretty sure of winning both these seats.

The Peoples Democratic Party has announced that Tasaduq Hussain Sayeed brother of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti would contest from Anantnag and Nazir Ahmad Khan who defected from the Congress from Srinagar.

--IANS
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