New Delhi, April 9 -- The Congress and the National Conference (NC) have sealed an alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, former Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah and Congress leader Salman Khurshid announced on Monday.

But the parties left out another Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) partner, Mehbooba Mufti's People Democratic Party (PDP). Under the pact, which will also cover the UT of Ladakh, Abdullah announced, "Udhampur, Jammu and Ladakh will go to Congress and the NC will fight in Anantnag, Baramulla and Srinagar. The INDIA bloc will contest the polls to help fulfil the aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and truly represent them in Parliament."

The alliance caps weeks of instability fo...