Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said her party will field candidates from all the three constituencies of the Kashmir valley, ending any chances of a pre-poll alliance within the Congress-led INDIA bloc.
“Mr. Omar [Abdullah of the National Conference] believes the PDP doesn’t exist anywhere. The way Mr. Omar spoke about PDP has anguished my workers, who are not in favour of supporting the NC at this juncture. The consultation is going on and the announcement with regard to the candidates in Kashmir seats will be made soon,” Ms. Mufti said.
She said the BJP “dismantled her party by taking away senior leaders”. “I was left with my workers, who have been disheartened and disappointed by the comments of Mr. Omar Abdullah,” Ms. Mufti said. “The rest depends on the Kashmiri people to whom they want their voices to be heard in the Parliament,” she added.
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The PDP’s announcement came days after the NC decided to field a candidate from Muftis’ bastion Anantnag-Rajouri. Both the parties are constituents of the INDIA bloc as well as the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD).
The NC and the PDP had a pre-poll alliance during the District Development Council (DDC) polls in the Union Territory in 2020 and bagged the highest number of seats. However, the NC hardened its position on seat sharing with the PDP this time, arguing it had won all the three seats in the 2019 election.
Meanwhile, Ms. Mufti said the party has not taken any decision about the two Lok Sabha in the Jammu division, where Congress-NC are having a pre-poll alliance.
“If Ms. Mufti has announced fielding candidates on all five seats, it is her choice. We have fielded candidates on three seats in Kashmir based on her formula. If she is fielding her own candidates, then perhaps, she does not want any kind of alliance even for the Assembly elections. We kept the door open, now if she has closed the door then it is not our fault,” NC vice president Omar Abdullah said.
J&K has five Parliamentary constituencies with the BJP emerging as the main player in the Jammu region and the regional parties dominating the poll scene in the Kashmir valley. Former Congress leader and DPAP chief Ghulam Nabi Azad is also contesting from the valley’s Anantnag-Rajouri seat.
Ms. Mufti accused the NC of “not leaving any door open for her party”.
