‘All options open’, says Congress on fielding candidates for 2 vacant Jammu and Kashmir Assembly seats

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Congress on Saturday (October 18, 2025) said it was weighing all options on fielding candidates for the two Assembly seats in the Union territory where bypolls are to be held on November 11.

Bypolls are being held in the Budgam Assembly segment in the Kashmir valley, and Nagrota in the Jammu region.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday (October 17)said while his party (National Conference) will contest the Budgam seat, it would support the Congress’s candidate from Nagrota, if fielded.

However, while speaking to reporters here, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra said the party high command will take a call on the bypolls.

“They (NC) have said it (support for Nagrota seat), but we have put the case before our central high command and we are waiting for their response,” Mr. Karra said.

When asked if the party was weighing options to contest both the seats, the JKPCC chief reiterated that the decision lies with the high command; however, he added that, “all the options are open.”

The Central Shalteng MLA also said the party has resumed its ‘Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq’ programme to press for the restoration of Statehood to J&K.

He said it was initially suspended due to the Pahalgam attack, and then due to the war-like situation. Cloudburst and the resultant flood-like situation delayed it further, Mr. Karra said.

“(Now) it will be held in all districts across J&K,” he said.

When asked whether everything was fine between the alliance partners, the NC and Congress, after the latter accused Abdullah’s party of denying them “safe seat” in the Rajya Sabha polls, Mr. Karra said, “Who said it is not (fine)?”.

He said the comments after the “snub” by the NC were natural, as the “Congress leadership at the highest level did not expect that there would be a U-turn or backtracking of their request” to the NC.