The anti-BJP alliance 'INDIA' in Jammu and Kashmir is seeing cracks as the seat-sharing discord among its member parties intensifies. The latest issue arises from within where the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) stand divided. JKNC Vice President Omar Abdullah accuses the PDP of breaking the alliance's code. Meanwhile, Mehbooba Mufti labels Abdullah as aggressive and outspoken.
Just hours after Omar Abdullah stated that there will be no alliance with PDP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti indicated, following discussions with the Congress, that her party would decide its next steps. Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Mufti expressed being hurt by NC's decision and claimed that NC has done what even BJP could not, by harming the PAGD (People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration).
Mufti claims Abdullah's rhetoric shattered the alliance:
'What the BJP couldn't achieve, one PAGD member (National Conference) did on its own. The people of Jammu and Kashmir had hopes pinned on the unity showcased by PAGD and the 'INDIA' bloc. This is a major setback for them. I'm a fighter; PDP might be weakened now, but we're not out of the race. It's Omar's outbursts that led to the breakup. His unilateral declaration to contest all three seats in the valley for JKNC left only one seat (Anantnag Lok Sabha seat) to contest. Had Farooq Abdullah called for a meeting and discussed this with us, my party would have been willing to sacrifice all seats,' she stated.
The shattered unity disappoints the people, says Mehbooba Mufti:
Accusing the National Conference of changing the goalpost, Mufti addressed how NC prioritized rivalry with PDP over combating the BJP. 'Our unity, which inspired hope among the people of J-K, has been broken. We wished for peaceful proceedings without facing each other as adversaries. It's crucial to raise J-K's voice in Parliament. We will also discuss NC's decision with the Congress party. The mandate lies in the people's hands, who determine our future,' she said. Sources suggest that Mehbooba Mufti intends to run from Anantnag herself this election, where NC's Hasnain Masoodi is the current MP.
We wouldn't have joined the 'INDIA' bloc had we known, asserts Omar Abdullah:
Earlier today, Omar Abdullah expressed in a press conference his party's disapproval of seat-sharing with PDP in Anantnag. Referring to PDP's performance in the 2019 general elections, he remarked, 'A party ranking third has no right to demand seats. Had I known that joining the 'INDIA' bloc would require weakening our own party for another member, I'd never have participated.' Jammu and Kashmir send five representatives to Lok Sabha. Currently, BJP holds the two seats in Jammu, National Conference dominates the Kashmir Valley's three seats, and BJP retains the solitary seat from Ladakh.
