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Onkar Singh in Srinagar
Former Union minister and erstwhile National Conference leader Professor Saifuddin Soz feels the people of Jammu and Kashmir would vote Congress party to power.
Speaking to rediff.com Soz said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have faith in [Congress chief] Sonia Gandhi and believe her words when she says the problem of Jammu and Kashmir has to be resolved 'once and for all'.
"The people of the state are totally fed up with the National Conference, which is trying to thrust the dynastic rule on the people of the state by projecting Omar Abdullah as the next chief minister," he said.
Asked about post-poll alliances, he said Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's People's Democratic Party would support the Congress in forming the government.
"The Congress is going to get 22 seats in the Jammu region. We would get at least another six in Srinagar. That gives Congress party a total of 28 seats. We expect PDP to win 15 seats and together we would be able to form the government," he said.
Asked who would be the chief minister in case the Congress and the PDP form the government, he said, "The natural choice would be Ghulam Nabi Azad [Jammu and Kashmir Congress Committee president]."
He clarified that he was not in the race for the chief ministership.
He, however, felt the PDP by fielding candidates on certain seats in the valley and the Jammu region had cut into Congress votes.
"Mufti has no base in Jammu. Because of the presence of some of his candidates in some assembly seats the National Conference could get an upper hand in those segments and thereby help in defeating the Congress candidates," he said.
He predicted the National Conference would split if it loses power.
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