Congress to support NC in Sonwar bye election

Srinagar, Feb 28, 2009: After it had put up its candidate on one of the seats of the legislative council against NC, Congress on Friday made its candidate, Khem Lata Wakhloo, to withdraw in favour of NCs, Altaf Ahmed Wani, on the legislative council seat from Kashmir Valley.

Sources said that Wakhloo withdrew in favour of the NC as it was deemed as against the spirit of their coalition politics that the two parties who were in power were contesting against each other.

Wakhloo who was defeated by NC President, Farooq Abdullah, in the assembly elections from Sonwar constituency was likely to be the coalition candidate on the seat which was reserved for the elections through the local bodies.

Congress Spokesman, Ravinder Sharma, confirmed the withdrawal of the candidature by Wakhloo. He also added that the Congress and NC have decided to constitute a six member committee which will discuss among other issues the better co-ordination between the coalition partners who are running the government in the state. From the Congress side the co-ordination committee will be headed by its State President, Prof Saifudin Soz.

The other members from Congress who are the part of co-ordination committee include its Deputy Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, Tara Chand and senior leader and former health Minister, Mangat Ram Sharma.

With the Congress party withdrawing in favour of NC, both the parties are together contesting on 11 seats of the upper house of state legislature. While the NC is contesting on six seats, Congress is contesting on five seats of the legislative council.

Meanwhile, Congress nominee from Leh, Gaylchan Narboo and NC candidate from Kargil, Aga Syed Ahmed, were elected unopposed on Friday to the upper house of state legislature as no one had filed nomination against them.

Also NC President, Farooq Abdullah, resigned on his Sonwar assembly seat as he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. Abdullah had earlier resigned from his Hazratbal seat after he was elected from two assembly constituencies in the assembly elections.