SRINAGAR: The National Conference and the PDP, a key constituent of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, on Monday said the group will jointly contest the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We will fight the elections together,” he said. There is a political party which said that they have left the alliance. In fact, they were never part of an alliance. They had come to break us from within.
A similar sentiment was expressed by PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti earlier in the day.
“We intend to contest the elections together as it is the will of the people that we should try together to restore our lost dignity,” Mehbooba said.
Responding to a question, Abdullah said that the government can hold elections whenever it wants.
“The elections were held when we had floods. Why can’t there be elections now? The question is how do they want to contest the elections,” said the former chief minister.
Asked about the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, Abdullah said that the people of Kashmir have wholeheartedly ensured smooth conduct of the pilgrimage over the years.
“Who was the person who discovered the cave? He was a Muslim from Pahalgam.”
Abdullah said that the government of that time could hoist the national flag from every house. ”He has the final say. But it would be great when people hoist the tricolor on their own and not because of a decree.
The PAGD, consisting of five JK parties, was formed in October 2020 with the aim of restoring Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and was abolished on August 5, 2019. The center had divided the erstwhile state into two union territories. – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The Election Commission has intensified preparations for the conduct of assembly elections in the Union Territory. It has started revision of voter list after delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Election Commission will publish the final electoral rolls of Jammu and Kashmir on October 31, the first electoral roll for the union territory after the delimitation of assembly seats.
The Election Commission, in a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir, has given a timeline to complete various activities before the final publication of the voter list.
-PTI
