SRINAGAR, Oct 11: National Conference (NC) that emerged as the single-largest party in the recent Assembly elections with 42 seats in the 90-member Assembly, today received a shot in the arm as 4 Independents extended support to the party taking their tally 46, the majority figure needed in the House.
With this, their pre-poll alliance partner, the Congress has been relegated from a junior partner in the next Government to a relative non-entity.
Those who extended support to the NC are Pyaray Lal Sharma, Satish Sharma, Choudhary Mohammed Akram and Dr Rameshwar Singh – who won the Inderwal, Chhamb, Surankote and Bani seats with their winning margins over their respective nearest rival being 643, 6929, 8851 and 2048.
With their support, the NC’s tally in the Assembly has reached 46, the majority figure in the House. This means that technically, the NC does not require support from its pre-poll allies, the Congress and lone Communist Party of India (Marxist) Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami , to form a Government in the J&K.
Pyaray Lal Sharma who won the Inderwal constituency as an Independent candidate told reporters that he has given unconditional support to the NC.
“I have not joined the NC but extended my support to the party. I was already associated with the NC but contested the election as an Independent candidate. I am now extending my support to the NC to help in the Government formation. We have full confidence in the party. My support is unconditional, and I have always been and will always be with the NC,” he added.
