Jammu and Kashmir’s Mehbooba Mufti, the leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), declared on Wednesday that she will run independently for the three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir, effectively ending the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc’s tenure in the valley.
Political Unrest in Kashmir: PDP compelled to run in elections amid dispute over seat distribution
Mufti said that the INDIA bloc partner left the PDP with no choice but to run for office, even as she blamed National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abduallh for his lack of cooperation over the seat division.
While addressing a press conference, Mufti said, “They (NC) have left no option for us other than to field candidates and contest the elections. The party’s Parliamentary Board would take a final call on the candidates.”
The announcement was made a few days after the NC declared that it would run candidates for each of Kashmir’s three seats. As part of the seat-sharing arrangement with the INDIA bloc, the NC left two seats in Jammu for the Congress.
Jammu and Kashmir: Former CM Mehbooba Mufti says, "PDP will not contest the Lok Sabha elections 2024 under the INDIA alliance." pic.twitter.com/17BdjpHTFF
— IANS (@ians_india) April 3, 2024
PDP Leader Attacks NC’s Isolated Measures in Seat-Sharing
After the Centre revoked the former state’s special status in 2019, the PDP chief asserted that it was imperative to stay united, but the NC leadership’s actions were hurtful and disappointing.
“I stated at the Mumbai meeting of the INDI alliance that Farooq Abdullah, the president of the NC, is our senior leader and will make the right decision regarding seat sharing. I had thought he would set aside his party affiliations. However, the NC decided on its own to run for all three seats in Kashmir, according to Mufti.
“I was really disappointed in Omar’s speech; it insulted my employees rather than me. How then can I encourage my employees to support NC? It’s not a simple task. We’ll put out candidates and let the public make the final decision. The PDP president continued, “The people are the better arbiters of what voices they want in the Parliament.”
Omar Abdullah Reacts to the PDP’s Choice of Independent Candidate
NC vice president Omar Abdullah responded to the PDP’s decision by speculating that Mufti might not want an alliance if she is fielding her own candidates.
“It is her decision if PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti decides to run for all five seats as announced. Based on her formula, we have put forward candidates for three seats in Kashmir.Perhaps she does not want any kind of alliance, not even for the assembly elections, if she is fielding her candidates. We left the door open, so it’s not our fault if she closed it now,” Abdullah remarked.
