Voting for the 90 assembly seats in Jammu & Kashmir will take place over three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, with results being announced on October 4. The political scenario is heating up ahead of the elections. In this context, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti released her party's manifesto in Srinagar. She stated that we seek reconciliation and dialogue. We desire the establishment of connection across the LoC between people. We want to open the route to the Sharda Peeth pilgrimage site in PoJK so that Kashmiri Pandits can visit.
Mehbooba Mufti announced in the manifesto that if we come to power, we will provide 200 units of free electricity. Additionally, the old pension scheme will be implemented. The recruitment process will be expedited. The honorarium of contract teachers will be increased. Free legal aid will be provided to people in jail. Temples, mosques, and gurudwaras will be provided free electricity. The honorarium of contract teachers will be increased.
Mufti said that efforts will be made to lift the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and return their properties to them. She requested the Union Home Minister to resume trade across the LoC.
The PDP President stated that Article 370 was a bridge between Jammu & Kashmir and the rest of the country, but that bridge is now gone. The BJP government has imprisoned separatists. They should remember that their own leaders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani, met with Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah, and Mirwaiz Farooq. Imprisoning them is not a solution; the Kashmir issue is still alive, otherwise, Engineer Rashid would not have won.
She emphasized that resolving the Kashmir issue is more important to her than forming a government. If the NC and Congress support our manifesto and show the will to implement it, I am willing to leave all seats for them. However, she also mentioned that rekindling ties with BJP is out of the question. We formed a coalition with the BJP in 2014 based on the Agenda of Alliance. They had promised not to touch Article 370.
