| Tarigami, Shah trying to persuade Mehbooba not to field candidates | | Lok Sabha elections | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 12: Following the National Conference’s announcement of retaining all seats in the Kashmir Valley, leaders from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Awami National Conference are working diligently to preserve opposition unity in Jammu and Kashmir amidst the challenge posed by the BJP.
Highly placed sources CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami and Awami National Conference chief Muzaffar Shah are trying to convince Mehbooba Mufti not to field candidates on Lok Sabha seats to jointly fight BJP.
M Y Tarigami, spokesperson for the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) and a leader of the CPI (M), has pledged to mend emerging divisions within the alliance. Acknowledging existing disagreements among its members, Tarigami reaffirmed his commitment to resolving these disparities, emphasizing that the PAGD transcends mere electoral politics, serving a broader purpose.
Tarigami stressed the imperative of unity and cooperation among PAGD constituents in addressing the myriad challenges confronting Jammu and Kashmir. "I am not here to assign blame. The objectives for which this platform was established must remain our collective focus," Tarigami asserted.
Meanwhile, amidst efforts to consolidate opposition forces, Muzaffar Shah, leader of the Awami National Conference, engaged with PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, expressing optimism about the continued vitality of the PAGD and ongoing endeavors to reinforce unity among opposition parties. "I am hopeful that the crises will be resolved as discussions are ongoing," Shah remarked.
In another development, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah reiterated his party's stance on not ceding any seats in the Kashmir Valley to the PDP. Abdullah suggested that if Congress desires, it could allocate either two seats in Jammu or one seat in Ladakh to the PDP. He also underscored ongoing discussions with Congress regarding seats in Jammu and Ladakh.
Emphasizing NC's commitment to retaining its seats, Abdullah criticized Congress, asserting NC's unwillingness to relinquish previously won seats to the PDP. Abdullah also downplayed PDP's prospects in winning the Jammu, Udhampur, and Ladakh seats.
The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), formed in 2019 by six political parties, pledged to safeguard the interests of Jammu and Kashmir residents and advocate for the restoration of Article 370. Despite initial setbacks, including the departure of Sajad Lone from the alliance, PAGD remains steadfast in its mission, despite recent tensions arising from disputes over seat allocations and electoral performance. |
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