As panchayat and Urban Local Bodies polls near, cracks appeared in the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) after leaders of two big constituents of alliance of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference traded barbs against each other, especially on the 24th foundation day of the PDP.
During programmes on its foundation day, some PDP leaders targeted NC leadership and even blamed the party of being in league with the BJP. PDP youth president Waheed Parra, who is a close associate of former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, accused the NC leaders of begging in elections and said the party responsible for election rigging in 1987, creation of Special Operation Group and forcing youths towards guns is begging for alliance and elections from New Delhi.
“Some political parties are fighting for quarters, some want personal security officers, some are craving for ministries and some want alliance with the BJP. It’s only our party workers who are fighting for upholding the democracy with dignity.”
Parra said before the state was dismembered and Article 370 was revoked, the PDP was broken first because the BJP knew that this is the only party which will show resistance on ground. He said they didn’t have difference with its former coalition partner over cabinet posts, chief minister post or other issues like statehood but on agenda of alliance.
“Our party wanted implementation of agenda of alliance and offer of peace with dignity through inclusive political process.”
This is the first time after the formation of PAGD that any senior PDP leader has targeted the National Conference for offering olive branch to the BJP. However, the National Conference has strongly reacted over the remarks of the PDP leader saying that the PDP is looking for an opportunity to walk out from the alliance.
“Amazed at what Para has said. Sorry to say, but @jkpdp has only been trying to find some oxygen through PAGD. Clearly, they’re not serious about Jammu and Kashmir,” NC additional spokesperson Sarah Hayat Shah tweeted.
Former mayor and NC leader Salman Sagar said the PDP is looking for an opportunity to walk out of the alliance.
“The statements of PDP leaders today on its foundation day portray that the party is trying to walk out from the alliance which was stitched by NC president, Farooq Abdullah and by these statements it’s clear that they are waiting for an opportunity to do so,” he said and alleged that PDP has also committed blunders but the NC leaders didn’t touch that because the fight was for a bigger cause.
Soon after abrogation of Article 370, the six parties — the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference (PC), Communist Party of India Marxist (CPIM), Peoples Movement (PM) and Awami National Conference (ANC) — had come together to form an alliance to peacefully seek restoration of the erstwhile state’s special status and fight for the rights of the people in the restive region. However, after the district development council polls, Peoples Conference led by Sajjad Lone walked out of the alliance and now it looks that the NC and PDP leaders are also not comfortable with the alliance especially when panchayat and Urban Local Bodies polls are scheduled for October and November.
