The Congress on Sunday said that it will not take the initiative to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir if it does not emerge as the single largest party in the 87-member Assembly.
"If we do not emerge as the single-largest party, we will not take the initiative to form the government," All India Congress Committee General Secretary Prithviraj Chavan told reporters in New Delhi.
Chavan said the Congress high command will take stock of the situation and some senior leaders of the party would go to the state on Monday to discuss the next course of action with the party legislators.
Congress sources said the party would like to go with one of the two regional parties -- National Conference and People's Democratic Party -- and take help of independents to form the next government.
Chavan also admitted that the controversy over the transfer of land to Amarnath shrine cost the party heavily in Jammu.
"The Amarnath land row cost us dearly. It is an emotive issue and it took place just before the elections...Had the land row not been there, we could have swept the polls," he said.
"We contested a hard election. The Congress is there to stay in the state," Chavan added.
Asked with which party the Congress will form an alliance, he said, "Our options are open. It will be a coalition government."
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