NC holds key meet ahead of J-K assembly's autumn session

Srinagar, Oct 22 (PTI) A crucial meeting of the ruling National Conference (NC) began here on Wednesday, a day ahead of the nine-day autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

Top party leaders, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and party president Farooq Abdullah, were present in the meeting that is underway at a private hotel here.

The legislature of the ruling party will finalise their floor strategy for the assembly session, which begins on Thursday.

The NC will also deliberate on the Rajya Sabha elections for four seats from Jammu and Kashmir, which will be held on Friday.

The NC had invited alliance partner Congress also to the meeting, but no one from the national party has turned up so far.

J&K Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra also convened a meeting of the Congress legislature party at the party headquarters.

The meeting was in progress when the NC meeting began less than a kilometre away.

The relations between the two alliance partners have been said to be strained after the regional party refused to give a "safe seat" to the national party for the Rajya Sabha elections.

Congress was reportedly offered the seat where it was expected to face a stiff contest from the BJP.

Congress refused to field a candidate and also did not take up the NC offer of contesting the bypoll in the Nagrota assembly segment, where polling will be held next month.

The NC has fielded its candidates for four Rajya Sabha seats as well as the Nagrota assembly Bypoll. PTI MIJ AMJ AMJ