Srinagar, Apr 08 (KNS): Congress and National Conference on Monday said that they will contest 3 seats each in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The seat-sharing deal was announced by Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Pawan and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah during a joint press conference in Delhi today.

On seat sharing, Omar Abdullah said that Congress will contest from Udhampur, Jammu and Ladakh Lok Sabha seats, while National Conference will contest from Anantnag, Baramulla and Srinagar Lok Sabha seats.

Interestingly, Mehbooba Mufti led People’s Democratic Party, which is also the part pf INDIA bloc, has been kept out of this seat-sharing deal by both the parties.

PDP on Sunday announced to contest Lok Sabha polls on 3 Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir Valley, stating that the party will support the Congress in Jammu, however, the grand old party announced the seat-sharing deal with the National Conference snubbing the PDP.

Mehbooba Mufti will herself contest from Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency where she will be pitted against National Conference candidate Mian Altaf, while PDP youth president Waheed Para will contest from Srinagar-Pulwama seat and former Rajya Sabha MP Fayaz Ahmad Mir will contest from Baramulla constituency. (KNS)