 Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 17: As the National Conference leadership ruled out leaving any Lok Sabha seat of Kashmir Valley for any constituent of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, a crucial meeting of the senior leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was held on Saturday to discuss future course of action.
In the meeting, the party chalked out a plan to contest all three seats of Kashmir Valley in case the National Conference remained adamant on its stand.
Sources said that keeping in view the recent statements of National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, PDP leadership believes that the party has to contest elections on its own because the arrogant NC is not going to leave any seat of Kashmir Valley.
Sources said that PDP leaders present in the meeting suggested starting preparations for all seats of Kashmir Valley instead of waiting for the National Conference to decide to protect the coalition.
In today’s meeting, threadbare discussions were held on the Parliamentary seat of central PDP held a crucial meeting today and chalked out a plan
If NC remains adamant PDP would contest all three seats of Kashmir.
PDP leadership believes that the party has to contest elections on its own as the arrogant NC is not going to leave any seat
PDP leaders have suggested to start preparations for all Kashmir seats.
PDP has prepared a panel of potential candidates for Central Kashmir seat.
“PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is not in a hurry to announce candidates for all three seats of Kashmir Valley”, sources said and added that Mehbooba is waiting for the National Conference to take the unilateral decision of announcing candidates on all three seats of Kashmir Valley. Notably, while interacting with media persons at Srinagar two days ago former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah sought to undermine the importance of PDP in Kashmir Valley.
When asked about holding discussions with the PDP on seat-sharing, Omar Abdullah put the onus on Congress to take the PDP on the board. “Discussions on seat-sharing will be held only on Jammu-Poonch, Udhampur-Doda, and Ladakh Parliamentary seats where Congress has the highest stake”, Omar said and made it clear that only Congress will hold talks with PDP. | 