Lok Sabha Elections 2024: In yet another blow to the I.N.D.I.A bloc's unity, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) is likely to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls alone.
The development has come after National Conference (NC) leader and ex-J-K CM Omar Abdullah said that they will be contesting elections on all three seats in Kashmir.
Responding to Omar Abdullah's statement, Mehbooba Mufti said, "Omar Abdullah himself said that they're not in the alliance. We wanted The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to continue but everyone knows who ended this PAGD. We will talk to Congress as we are in the INDIA alliance and see how to go forward... PAGD was a democratic and unique alliance but the way it has been dispersed is very disappointing. Jammu & Kashmir is a laboratory for whatever is happening in the country that is facing a big challenge and hence we should have made a collective effort. We (PDP) made a lot of efforts, but he (Omar Abdullah) declared that they'll contest all three seats, without any consultation from us..."
Adding up on the development, Mufti further said, "As you all know the situation changed in J-K after August 5, 2019, and people are facing issues... we we decided to unite for people and as you remember I went to residences of many leaders and then we were kept under house arrest... Omar and Farooq Abdullah, we all came to a consensus that we will work unitedly."
"We are still seeing people facing hardships even jailed youth aren't getting legal help... same happened with our party and keeping all that in mind, we did many meetings to create a resistance in shape of PAGD... people started believing PAGD, even you are aware we were united.... and when DDC election happened, we fought collectively...," she said.
"This is the reason when I.N.D.I.A bloc came and I adviced and suggested Farooq Abdullah to take the call... I am astonished that National Conference (NC) today said that PDP don't exist anywhere... In PAGD, everything was getting debated...," Mehbooba added.
"To some extent, the National Conference's decission have broken hopes of people... I am a fighter... and NC's today's statement have changed the goal posts and it's now becoming NC v PDP despite then others Vs BJP, in the Lok Sabha elections," Mehbooba Mufti said.
"Allaince isn't big for me but unity is more valuable, if National Conference have clearly said that they will fight on all seats, then it wouldn't be an issue to me... there are more big issues than seat-sharing in alliance," she further said.
Mehbooba further added, "Omar Abdullah has cleared said in his statement that PDP isn't in alliance, it simply means who dented PAGD, who broke it?"
"We have created a democratic allaince in shape of PAGD but it was hurt with the sword of words... didn't expect this," she added.
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