National Conference, Congress seal Jammu and Kashmir seat-sharing deal

The NC will contest the majority of seats - 51 - and the Congress will contest 32, the latter's J&K unit chief, Tariq Hameed Karra, told reporters.

He said two seats would be left for the CPIM and Panthers Party.

There will be a "friendly but disciplined contest" on five seats, which suggests that differences between the two parties - both of whom are part of the INDIA opposition bloc - were not fully ironed out, even after the Congress rushed two senior leaders to Srinagar this morning.

This will be the first Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade as the 2019 poll was not held after the Centre scrapped Articles 370 and 35A, and bifurcated J&K into two union territories.

"It is a matter of great happiness... we started this campaign together against forces trying to divide people here. The INDIA bloc was formed so we can fight forces that want to communalise, divide, and break the country," NC boss and former ex-Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah told the press.

"Today we have completed negotiations and have completed coordination in a very good (and) cordial atmosphere. The Congress and the National Conference will fight the election together..."

Congress leader KC Venugopal, one of the two big names deployed, echoed the sentiment.

"We have completed our discussion and reached a formula... we will fight together and we will win the J&K election. The Congress and National Conference are coming together to form the next government..." the Lok Sabha MP declared, accusing the BJP of "trying to destroy the soul of J&K".

J&K will hold its first Assembly election in a decade over three phases beginning September 18. Voting will also take place on Sept 25 and Oct 1, with the results due on Oct 4.