The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) have formed a strategic alliance for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, as announced by AIP on Sunday. Representatives from both parties, including AIP Supremo and Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid and AIP Chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, attended a joint meeting. JEI leader Ghulam Qadir Wani and other key figures of the party were also present.
According to the statement, the two parties have agreed to work together in the interest of the region’s people. They discussed a seat-sharing arrangement for the elections, with AIP supporting JEI-backed candidates in Kulgam and Pulwama districts, while JEI will back AIP candidates across Kashmir. In the constituencies of Langate, Devsar, and Zainapora, both parties will engage in a ‘friendly contest,’ while in other constituencies, they will extend unified support.
The statement further noted that the leadership of both AIP and JEI has called on their members to promote this alliance and support each other’s candidates. The objective is to secure strong representatives for the people of Jammu and Kashmir who can effectively express their sentiments and aspirations.
The statement also emphasized that this collaboration aims to form a united front to pursue peace, justice, and political empowerment for the region.
In addition to this alliance, Congress and the National Conference (NC) are also contesting the assembly elections together. NC will run for 51 of the 90 seats, and Congress will contest 32, with a friendly contest agreed upon for some seats. A few seats have been reserved for smaller allies.
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These elections are the first in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has a total of 90 constituencies, with 7 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). The elections are scheduled to take place in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1, with the counting of votes on October 8.