Jammu & Kashmir National Conference
The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) is a regional political party in Indian-administered Kashmir's union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Founded as the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference by Sheikh Abdullah and Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas in 1932 in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, the organisation renamed itself to "National Conference" in 1939 in order to represent all the people of the state. It supported the accession of the princely state to India in 1947. Prior to that, in 1941, a group led by Ghulam Abbas broke off from the National Conference and revived the old Muslim Conference. The revived Muslim Conference supported the accession of the princely state to Pakistan and led the movement for Azad Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference | |
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Abbreviation | JKNC (National) |
President | Farooq Abdullah |
Chairperson | Omar Abdullah |
Founded | 15 October 1932 |
Merger of | All Jammu and Kashmir Plebiscite Front |
Headquarters | Nawa-e-sueb, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India |
Student wing | National Conference Students' Union |
Youth wing | Youth National Conference |
Ideology | Kashmiriyat Autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir Secularism |
ECI Status | State Party |
Alliance |
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Seats in Lok Sabha | 3 / 543 |
Seats in Rajya Sabha | 0 / 245 |
Seats in Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly | 0 / 90 |
Seats in District Development Council | 67 / 280 |
Number of states and union territories in government | 0 / 31 |
Election symbol | |
Website | |
www.jknc.co.in | |
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Since 1947, the National Conference was in power in Jammu and Kashmir in one form or another till 2002, and again between 2009 and 2015. It implemented land reforms in the state, ensured the state's autonomy under the Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, and formulated a separate Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir in 1957. Sheikh Abdullah's son Farooq Abdullah (1981–2002, 2009–present) and grandson Omar Abdullah (2002–2009) have led the party after Sheikh Abdullah's death as the president. The party is a member of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration electoral alliance.