Discuss   |      Email   |      Print   |   Get latest news on your desktop

National Conference, which is emerging as the single largest party in Jammu and Kashmir [Images] assembly, on Sunday said it will approach the Congress for forming a coalition government.

"Yes, if the current trends of leads in 27 seats hold momentum, we will approach the Congress which is a like-minded party. We will approach the Congress to form the government," party President Omar Abdullah said.

Asked earlier as to whom the National Conference would like to see as a coalition partner in future government, Omar, 38, said: "Personally, I will prefer to have an alliance with the Congress.

"It is for them (Congress) to think whom they want as an ally, considering their past experience with PDP. During the previous PDP-Congress alliance, it was PDP which was benefitted and it was BJP which was benefitted at the cost of Congress in Jammu," he said.

The NC chief said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have voted for a coalition government and NC and the Congress are the only two parties 'which cannot sacrifice the interests of people for petty politics'.

The NC leader said his party would not have any truck with any party 'which talked about breaking up Kashmir'.

Ruling out a tie-up with BJP, Abdullah said his party would prefer to sit in the opposition rather than forming a government with the saffron party. NC was part of A B Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance government.