The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) have officially formed an alliance for the upcoming Jammu Kashmir Assembly elections, as confirmed in a statement by AIP on Sunday.
A joint meeting, attended by prominent figures from both parties, was held on Sunday. AIP’s delegation was led by its Supremo and Lok Sabha MP, Engineer Rashid, along with Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi.
Representing JEI, Ghulam Qadir Wani led his party’s delegation, accompanied by other senior leaders.
The statement emphasized that the alliance is a strategic move aimed at addressing the concerns of the people of Jammu Kashmir.
Both parties discussed seat-sharing arrangements, with AIP backing JEI-supported candidates in Kulgam and Pulwama districts. In return, JEI will support AIP candidates throughout Kashmir.
In some constituencies, such as Langate, Devsar, and Zainapora, the two parties will engage in a ‘friendly contest,’ while unified support will be extended elsewhere.
Both leaderships have called on their members to promote mutual backing across the region, emphasizing the importance of securing victory for their candidates to better represent the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
“This alliance is a crucial step towards uniting forces for peace, justice, and political empowerment in Jammu Kashmir,” the statement noted.
Meanwhile, Congress and the National Conference (NC) are also contesting the elections in alliance. NC will compete for 51 out of 90 seats, while Congress will fight for 32. They, too, have agreed on a friendly contest in certain constituencies.
These assembly elections will be the first since the abrogation of Article 370, with voting set to take place in three phases: September 18, September 25, and October 1.
The results will be announced on October 8. The 90 constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir include 7 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). (ANI)