Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Congress-National Conference tie-up in Jammu and Kashmir has been finalised and the state will have its youngest chief minister in 38-year-old NC President Omar Abdullah.
But there could still be a twist in the tale as the Congress may not just want to remain kingmaker.
"There will be a coalition government of national Conference and Congress party in the state. The government will be headed by Shri Omar Abdullah," Prithviraj Chavan, All India Congress Committee General Secretary and in-charge of J-K, said in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Backed by numbers, and the divisive campaigning of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it wasn't too difficult for the Congress to opt for National Conference as its coalition partner.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Omar sharing strong personal relations also helped in sewing up the alliance.
As NC supporters celebrated in Srinagar, in Delhi it was time to get down to business.
Sources reveal that at the meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Omar, the Congress President made it very clear that Congress should be a part of the government.
Congress is likely to ask for a deputy chief minister and Omar seems to agree.
"It is going to be a government of partnership. It is going to a coalition," said Omar.
Ironically the two political parties - the PDP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - which increased their vote share will be sitting in the opposition while the National Conference and Congress are back together.
"We welcome the decision of Congress to form government with National Conference. We wish them luck and finally we can see a democratically elected government. We are not disappointed as our agenda was more important than just power sharing. We want them to preform well and as opposition we intend to do our job well," said PDP President Mehbooba Mufti.
Congress hopes to sell this alliance as a vote for stability especially in an election season.
Congress hopes that going along with the NC which unlike the PDP or Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not cash in on sectarian sentiments would help it in Lok Sabha elections.
Over the next few days, NC and Congress leaders will meet and draw up the contours of their relationship.
Sources reveal Congress is not too keen on rotation of the chief ministerial post.
The once close ties between the Gandhis and Abdullahs have been revived and Congress hopes that with this so do their hopes for the General Elections.
(With inputs from Mufti Islah)
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