Fri Oct 11 10:43:22 UTC 2024: ## NC-Congress Alliance Wins J&K Assembly Elections, Prioritizes Statehood Restoration

**Srinagar, [Date]**: The National Conference (NC) and its alliance partner, the Congress, secured a landslide victory in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, winning 49 seats out of 90. NC Vice President Omar Abdullah, who is likely to become the next Chief Minister, has stated that the immediate priority for the new government will be the restoration of statehood for the Union Territory.

While the NC had promised the restoration of Article 370 in its manifesto, Abdullah acknowledged that the party does not expect to see this happen under the current Modi government. Instead, the focus will be on securing statehood, which was promised to the people of Jammu and Kashmir by Prime Minister Modi.

“We know that you are not going to get Article 370 back from the government that took it away. So set that aside for now,” said Abdullah, adding that he believes Prime Minister Modi is an “honorable man” who will keep his promise regarding statehood.

The NC-Congress government plans to establish a “good working relationship” with the central government in Delhi, with Abdullah emphasizing that a “hostile” relationship is not in the best interests of Jammu and Kashmir or the Union government.

The NC won 42 seats in the elections, while the Congress secured six seats. The party MLAs will meet on Thursday to formally choose the new Chief Minister, with Omar Abdullah widely expected to take the position.

The NC’s manifesto, released in August, included 12 guarantees, including the restoration of Article 370 and 35A, the repeal of the Public Safety Act (PSA), the release of political prisoners, and one lakh job creation. The Congress, however, did not make any pre-poll promises in its separate manifesto.

Read More