Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 10: As the void between Peoples Democratic Party and National Conference has deepened and Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has crumbled under its own weight, former J&K chief minister and NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said that PDP should have no objection in NC contesting all the Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir.
Talking to a news channel Farooq said, “National Conference stands on its own feet. NC won three seats in the 2019 general elections. We are part of the alliance and PDP is also part of the alliance. If the National Conference wins (these seats) again, they will win it for the INDIA alliance and so what is the problem.”
Asked why he didn’t call PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, before announcing NC’s decision to contest all three parliamentary seats in Kashmir, Farooq said, “Before leaving for Jammu I forgot my phone in Srinagar. When I retu National Conference won three seats in the 2019 general elections.
If National Conference wins these seats it will win it for the INDIA alliance.
The NC president accused PDP of launching scathing attacks on his party.
Had the NC leadership discussed the issue with us the PDP could have let it contest all three seats.
The NC president accused PDP of launching scathing attacks on his party during the past one year. “I tried my best to tell my party leaders not to react to the allegations leveled by the PDP but things went out of control and I couldn’t stop NC leaders from responding to the allegations that were leveled against us.”
Pertinently, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti last week had said it was “difficult to see the unity break.”
“I regret that what we nurtured for five years has been shattered,” she told reporters after NC announced to contest all three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir. “Had the NC leadership discussed the issue with us, the PDP could have let the NC contest all three seats in the Valley. But they didn’t do it,” Mehbooba said, adding, “PDP is still a part of the INDIA bloc and the party would discuss the future strategy with the Congress.” | 