Omar Abdullah staked claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday night after the Congress extended support to the National Conference (NC).

The total strength of the alliance headed by the NC has now risen to 54, seven more than the majority. They include 42 MLAs from the NC, six from the Congress, one from AAP and five Independents.

“I met lieutenant governor sahab and handed over letters of support from the NC, Congress, CPM, AAP and the Independents who supported the NC and requested him for an early swearing-in ceremony date,” Omar told reporters.

Omar said he expected the swearing-in to take place on Wednesday.

Earlier, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Tariq Hameed Karra said a meeting of its legislative party unanimously passed a resolution extending support to the NC. The legislators also passed a resolution granting the central leadership the authority to decide the next CLP leader.

“We have extended our support to the National Conference for government formation. We are heading to NC leadership to submit a letter of support before them,” Karra told reporters.

The Congress leader said the party had put no condition before the NC and was joining hands in the spirit of the INDIA bloc — a “larger cause” and for “the good of people of Jammu and Kashmir”.

Asked whether the NC still needed its support with five Independents and an AAP MLA by its side, he said the spirit of the alliance was much bigger than the number game.

“The spirit is different. It is pan-India spirit, not confined to Jammu and Kashmir, not about ministerial berths. It is a fight of nationalism against the BJP. If we have to save the country, there is a need for unanimity among players, ideological compatibility,”
he said.

However, the Congress’s support to the NC comes amid disturbing signs of acrimony between the two parties.

Ghulam Ahmad Mir, general secretary of the All India Congress, accused the NC of violating coalition dharma by allegedly fielding proxies against its candidates and said the winning candidates among them were now returning to the NC.

Mir attributed the NC’s success to the Congress’s support in Kashmir.

“Independent candidates were their proxy candidates. That was against coalition dharma. Their man had contested in Ladakh also when the Congress got the seat. Their man rebelled and after winning the seat he rejoined,” Mir told a news agency.

The Congress leader was referring to Ladakh MP Haji Hanifa who had rebelled against the party, fought as an Independent and won.