Favouring a pre-poll alliance with the National Conference (NC) for the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP on Wednesday said the people of the Union Territory should unite to achieve the larger goal. PDP parliamentary board chairman Mohammad Sartaj Madni said the party wanted the constituents of the Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to remain together. “The PAGD was formed after Mehbooba’s struggle. She is the anchor of the PAGD. So, we do not want any rifts in it. There will be nothing from our side to suggest that we do not want the alliance. We want that all the people of J&K get united for a larger goal to achieve that goal,” Madni told reporters here.
He was responding to a question on the leaders from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC) trading barbs publicly and whether a pre-poll alliance was a possibility. When asked if the party had finalised the candidates for the Lok Sabha polls next year, the PDP leader said the parliamentary board would decide that in another meeting.
Responding to a question about the government’s claims of an improvement in the security situation, Madni said if all was well, then let them conduct the elections. “They have deferred the panchayat and urban local bodies (ULBs) polls. If all is well, then why are these elections or assembly polls not taking place? We want all to be well so that elections are conducted and the people get their government,” he added. Commenting on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Article 370 issue, Madni said the party had pinned its hopes with God.
“The last court, above the Supreme Court, is there and we have pinned our hopes on that. Let us see what God does,” he said. — PTI
