J&K Assembly polls: National Conference still with PAGD; to fight on all 90 seats independently

Srinagar: National Conference today announced not to contest in upcoming Assembly elections jointly with the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an alliance of several parties which came together with the aim to fight for the restoration of J&K’s special status.  

“Provincial Committee members of National Conference unanimously resolved that JKNC should prepare and fight all 90 seats,” the party said in a statement after a meeting chaired by party’s vice president Omar Abdullah.

The participants present in the meeting expressed dismay over the recent statements, audio jingles and speeches made by some of the constituents of the PAGD targeting JKNC. They felt that it does not contribute to the overall unity of the amalgam. They denounced the unfair treatment meted out to JKNC in PAGD. The participants demanded immediate course correction from PAGD constituents,” the party statement reads.

The provincial committee members unanimously resolved that JKNC should prepare and fight all 90 assembly seats, he Spokesman said, “The Vice President in his response acknowledged the concerns raised by the participants and reiterated that the interest of the people of J&K and JKNC will be safeguarded."

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The PAGD among others includes NC, PDP, the CPI(M) and Awami National Conference as constituents and the alliance had contested DDC polls together.

Just two months before NC president Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had announced that PAGD will contest together. Farooq, who heads the PAGD, had announced it while addressing the media in Kupwara.

During the hours-long meeting the functionaries gave their approval of the current political situation in their respective areas, the spokesman said. “The meeting was also marked by threadbare discussions on party affairs and the mounting apprehensions among the public with regards to the inclusion of twenty-five lakh new voters as claimed by J&K’s CEO in a press conference.”

Alluding to the inclusion of 25 lakh new voters in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said the entire issue begs clarity from the Election Commission of India. “All this has triggered fears of demographic flooding and political disempowerment within the public. We are yet to ascertain if the final electoral rolls are also to include those ordinarily residing voters. Our concerns with regard to requirements for outsiders to get registered continue to remain unmet. The clarity provided by government quarters has failed to address our core concerns on the issue,” the statement reads.

Omar, the former chief minister of J&K said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are best equipped to defeat these nefarious designs by voting in huge numbers in the forthcoming elections, whenever it's held. “The remedy lies with our people, who if they choose to vote in huge numbers can thwart these attempts aimed at disempowering the people of J&K. Therefore people have to make it a point to come out and vote in huge numbers,” he added. 

Omar, said that he will discuss the feedback from the meeting with the party president Dr Farooq Abdullah and then a final decision will be taken.