NC will win 3 Valley seats for INDIA bloc: Farooq Abdullah

Naseer Ganai

Srinagar, March 9

With the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressing unhappiness over the decision of the National Conference (NC) to contest all three Lok Sabha constituencies in Kashmir, NC president Farooq Abdullah today said both parties were part of the INDIA coalition and the NC would win the seats for the alliance.

Mehbooba Mufti had on Friday said that the NC’s decision was “disappointing” and a “setback to the hopes of the people of J&K”. She also accused the NC of reducing their Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to a “joke”. “I do not know what she (Mufti) had said… National Conference stands on its own feet and has won three seats (in the 2019 general elections). We are part of the alliance and she is also part of the alliance. If the National Conference wins (these seats) again, they will win it for the INDIA bloc. So what is the problem,” Farooq told reporters here. He said he was sure that the INDIA bloc would always grow because it is needed “for the future of India and democracy”.

Asked about Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks on the PAGD, he said Assembly elections were coming and “we will see what we will do. I am sure they (BJP-led government) will try to hold the Assembly polls with parliamentary elections.”

At the same time, the NC also stated that regardless of the electoral decision regarding parliamentary seats, the PAGD would continue. The party said the competitive politics within the INDIA bloc would not impact the PAGD alliance.

National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said, “The PAGD has now taken a backseat and the INDIA bloc is in the forefront. The INDIA bloc has a clear motive to defeat the BJP. In the seats won by the NC in 2019, there is no immediate fight with the BJP. So why should the NC leave these seats for a constituent (PDP) of the INDIA group, which came third and the party is not in its original shape?” he said.

Sadiq said his party desires to have strong candidates in all these constituencies.

The party went further and asked all parties in the INDIA bloc and the PAGD to support candidates that the NC would field. The PAGD alliance is based on the Gupkar declaration, a resolution passed by the NC, PDP, CPM, People’s Conference and other smaller parties on August 4, 2019, to defend J&K’s special status.

PAGD to continue, says spokesperson

• National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq has said that regardless of the electoral decision pertaining to parliamentary seats, the PAGD will continue.
• The party says the competitive politics within the INDIA bloc will not impact the PAGD alliance. He says the INDIA bloc and the PAGD should support NC’s candidates.

(With inputs)