Srinagar, Sep 01: Irfan Hafeez Lone, a former District Development Council (DDC) member from Sangrama, has officially joined the National Conference-Congress (NC-Congress) alliance ahead of the assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir.
Lone said his decision was motivated by a desire to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and prevent the fragmentation of the people’s mandate.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), J&K Congress Chief Tariq Hamid Karra said the inclusion of young leaders like Irfan Hafeez Lone and former MLA Abdul Rahim Rather would help extend Congress’s influence to even the most remote villages.
Karra, addressing the joining event at the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) headquarters, highlighted the importance of unity under Congress’s leadership to resist BJP’s rule. “Congress provides the credibility needed to lead such an effort,” he said.
Karra also mentioned the positive impact of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, which he said attracted widespread support for Congress. However, due to the alliance with NC, there may be limitations on accommodating all new members, he said.
Irfan Hafeez Lone, a prominent rights activist and advocate, said he is “committed to fighting peacefully for the genuine rights of the people, including the restoration of statehood and greater devolution of powers within the framework of federalism”.
His entry into the NC-Congress alliance is seen as a strategic move to consolidate opposition unity against the BJP and bolster the alliance’s position in the Baramulla district, particularly in the Wagoora-Kreeri assembly segment.
According to political observers, Lone’s decision to join the alliance could be a big setback for other regional parties.
Sources said Lone is expected to contest the Wagoora-Kreeri assembly seat in the forthcoming elections. He is anticipated to garner huge support due to his experience and influence as a former DDC member.
The NC-Congress alliance has been building a broad coalition to challenge BJP’s dominance in Jammu & Kashmir. Lone’s entry is likely to intensify the contest in the Wagoora-Kreeri region.
