After the Supreme Court approved the Central Government’s decision to abolish Article 370, the political atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir has started changing rapidly.
Now two political enemies have indicated to join hands in the political fight against BJP. Former Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has hinted at an alliance with her political rival National Conference in the upcoming assembly elections.
The Supreme Court has asked to hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir before September next year. In such a rapidly changing political environment, PDP has favored a pre-poll alliance with the National Conference.
PDP on Wednesday said that the people of this Union Territory should come together to achieve the bigger goal.
PDP Parliamentary Board Chairman Mohammad Sartaj Madani said the party wants the constituents of the Gupkar Manifesto Alliance (PAGD) to remain united.
Foundation of Mehbooba PAGD
Madani told reporters in Srinagar, “PAGD was formed after Mehbooba’s struggle. She brought everyone together. Mehbooba is the foundation of PAGD. So we don’t want any cracks in it. There will be no talk from our side that we do not want this alliance. We want all the people of Jammu and Kashmir to unite for a bigger goal to achieve that goal.”
He was replying to a question about the public statements made by PDP and National Conference leaders against each other and the possibility of a pre-poll alliance between the two parties. When Madani was asked whether PDP has decided its candidates for next year’s Lok Sabha elections, he said that the Parliamentary Board will take a decision on it in the second meeting.
Now hope rests on God on Article 370
Responding to a question on claims of improvement in security situation, the PDP leader said if everything is so good then let them hold elections. On the recent decision of the Supreme Court on the issue of Article 370, Madani said that the party has placed its hope in God.
He said, “The last court above the Supreme Court is there and we have pinned our hopes there. Let’s see what God does.” When Madani was asked if PDP had any other plans, he said the party leadership would first meet and discuss the issue and then see what could be done.
There is old enmity between PDP and NC
Let us tell you that the deep political enmity between PDP and National Conference has been going on since the era of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Farooq Abdullah. Mufti Sayeed has always been presenting himself as a political alternative in Jammu and Kashmir against the National Conference. By the late 1990s the PDP emerged as a strong political front in the state that boldly challenged the long-standing dominance of the NC. Now in the changed circumstances, both the parties are considering it better to join hands against BJP.