J&K: Mehbooba Mufti Refutes Infighting, Says Delhi "Rattled" by PAGD

Srinagar: Refuting speculations of discord within the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, on Monday (January 11) said the central government led by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi has been “rattled” by the amalgam of regional parties formed to restore the erstwhile state’s special status. 

“Delhi is deeply rattled by PAGD so I expect this false campaign to intensify in the coming days. Many PDP leaders are already arrested & I expect the situation to worsen. But this will not break our resolve to stand united & fight for what’s rightfully ours,” Mehbooba wrote on Twitter. 

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader was responding to fresh controversy around the alliance as some leaders have questioned the top leadership over fielding proxies during the District Development Council (DDC) polls. Two of the leaders from Sajad Lone led J&K Peoples’ Conference (JKPC) Imran Reza Ansari and Abdul Ghani Vakil have expressed dissent within the forum especially against National Conference (NC) who the leaders accused of fielding proxy candidates against the official PAGD candidates.

Ansari in a letter dated January 8 urged Sajad Lone to introspect as they are being questioned by the party workers. “We support the stated which you have conscripted with them. But it is difficult to convince the people about the about the sincerity of intentions when they are themselves witness of deceitful behaviour during the elections,” Ansari wrote.

The PAGD – which includes NC, PDP, Jammu Kashmir People’s Conference, Awami National Conference, Jammu Kashmir People’s Movement and Communist Party of India (Marxist) – contested the DDC polls on a seat-sharing basis against the BJP and its allies in almost all the 280 DDC seats. The alliance won a majority of 110 seats across the 20 districts of the union territory.

Also read: J&K DDC Polls: PAGD Sweeps Polls with 110 Seats Defeating BJP’s Political Aims

Mehbooba, however, said in a follow-up tweet that the primary objective of the alliance is to fight for the pre-August 5, 2019, position. “Amidst all the unnecessary speculation about PAGD, I’d like make a few things absolutely clear. The purpose of this grand alliance is not for petty electoral gains. It exists for a much larger cause & purpose i.e to restore J&Ks special status,” she said.  

The PDP leader claimed that there are attempts being made to “discredit” PAGD amongst the masses.

Amid this, Apni Party leader, Altaf Bukhari, launched another attack at the alliance alleging that the PAGD leaders are “finding ways to get rid of each other following District Development Council elections in J&K.”

“They have misled the people and now they are not able to fulfil their promises. To avoid embarrassing situations, they are hiding from the people,” Bukhari said in a statement.