Lok Sabha elections 2024: Is this the end of INDIA bloc in Kashmir? PDP & NC to contest against each other in the valley

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC), both part of the INDIA bloc in Jammu and Kashmir, will compete against each other in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections for the three seats in the Kashmir valley.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister on April 3, Wednesday, said that the PDP is engaged in discussions with its leaders and workers about contesting the three Lok Sabha seats of the Kashmir Valley. 

Mufti's statement comes after the NC announced the candidature of senior party leader Mian Altaf Ahmed Lahrvi from the of Jammu and Kashmir, virtually ending chances of an alliance with the PDP in the Valley. 

Pertinently, NC chief Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti attended the INDIA bloc's show-of-strength rally in New Delhi on March 31.

PDP has accused NC vice president of leaving them "no option". Abdullah, however, hit back saying the PDP was going back on the understanding reached between the constituents of People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) for the District Development Council (DDC) elections in 2020.

"They (NC) have left no option for us other than to field candidates and contest the elections," Mufti told reporters on Wednesday. The party's parliamentary board would take a final call on the candidates, she added.

While holding talks with the Congress on seat-sharing in Jammu and Kashmir, the NC had made it clear that they will be contesting the three valley seats as they had won these in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. 

The three seats were won by the NC in 2019. The party left two seats in Jammu - Udhampur and Jammu - for the Congress as part of the INDIA bloc's seat-sharing agreement. 

Mufti, who lost the Anantnag seat in 2019, said the attitude of the NC