Coalition government to complete full term

The Congress and the National Conference have decided to part ways in Jammu and Kashmir and contest separately the Assembly election due later this year. The coalition government in the State will, however, complete its full term.

The Congress made the decision a day after party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz and general secretary in charge of the State Ambika Soni attended a party convention in Jammu.

“After extensive talks with Congress leaders and workers, the party has come to the conclusion that we are going to fight the election on our own strength,” Ms. Soni said.

The Congress decision came weeks after reports of secret meetings between Mr. Azad and People’s Democratic Party leaders. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, said in Twitter that he had taken the decision to break the coalition and told Congress president Sonia Gandhi about it on July 8.