The Congress party has been reduced to a near non-entity in the formation of the incoming Jammu and Kashmir government after four independent MLAs chose to support the National Conference (NC), the dominant party in the recent elections. This development significantly weakens Congress’ position, making it irrelevant to the power equation in the state.
The independent MLAs—Pyare Lal Sharma, Satish Sharma, Choudhary Mohammed Akram, and Dr. Rameshwar Singh—who secured victories in Inderwal, Chhamb, Surankote, and Bani constituencies, have pledged their backing to the NC, bringing the party’s support to 46 lawmakers in the 90-member Assembly. This number is sufficient to form the government without Congress’ assistance, as it surpasses the majority mark. The total excludes the five additional members who will be nominated by the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha.
This scenario is yet another blow to Congress, which has been struggling with an internal crisis and continuous electoral losses over the past decade. The party’s diminishing influence, underscored by its poor performance in Haryana, raises questions about its future relevance.
While the NC’s margin is slim and the loss of even one MLA could put Congress’ six seats back into play, for the time being, NC leader Omar Abdullah has no pressing need to rely on Congress for support. Abdullah, who was unanimously elected as the legislative party leader today, is set to become the next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
In the election results, the NC initially secured 42 seats, with Congress managing only six. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), dominating the Jammu region, finished with 29 seats, later increasing its count to 32 after gaining support from three additional independents. Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, faced a massive defeat, plummeting to just three seats from its 2014 tally of 28, dashing any hopes of playing kingmaker in the state.
The results defied exit poll predictions of a hung Assembly and provided a rare moment of victory for the NC amid a broader backdrop of political turmoil for Congress, exacerbated by its recent heavy defeat in Haryana.
Omar Abdullah’s ascension as Chief Minister was anticipated, as party patriarch Farooq Abdullah had indicated earlier. With the independents now supporting the NC, the Congress, at least for the moment, is a party on the sidelines in Jammu and Kashmir’s new political landscape.