4 Independents Boost Omar’s NC to Majority; Congress Support Awaited

The National Conference (NC) elected Omar Abdullah as its legislative party leader on Thursday after securing 42 seats in the Jammu & Kashmir assembly elections. Omar announced that four independent MLAs have also pledged support to the NC, bringing its strength in the 90-member house to 46. With its ally Congress winning six seats, the NC now awaits Congress’s formal letter of support to stake a claim for forming the next government.

Following the party meeting, Omar expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him by his party members. He stated that once Congress provides its letter of support, the NC will approach the Lieutenant Governor to form the government. Talks with Congress are ongoing, and Omar indicated they are close to finalizing the alliance.

The four independent MLAs backing the NC are Pyare Lal Sharma from Inderwal, Satish Sharma from Chhamb, Chaudhary Mohammad Akram from Surankote, and Rameshwar Singh from Bani. Their support helps address the NC’s representation concerns in Jammu, where the BJP won 29 out of 43 seats.

Interestingly, all four independents won in constituencies where the Congress candidates were defeated. Pyare Lal Sharma, an NC rebel, ran independently after a seat-sharing deal between NC and Congress. Satish Sharma, another Congress rebel, is the son of former Congress MP Madan Lal Sharma. Chaudhary Akram also ran as an independent after his seat was allocated to Congress in the alliance, defeating the Congress candidate by a significant margin.

The NC is now focused on solidifying its position as it prepares to form the next government in Jammu & Kashmir.