PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti Declares She Will Not Contest J&K Assembly Polls

GG News Bureau
Jammu, 29th August. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti announced on Wednesday that she will not participate in the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. She expressed doubts about her ability to fulfill her party’s agenda if she were to become Chief Minister again.

Mufti highlighted her previous tenure as Chief Minister in 2016, during which she dismissed FIRs against 12,000 people and invited separatists for dialogue. She questioned if such actions could be taken by current leaders, suggesting that if a Chief Minister cannot even withdraw an FIR, their role is ineffective.

She also criticized National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah, who had previously stated he would not contest elections until Jammu and Kashmir was a Union Territory. Mufti noted that Abdullah’s stance had changed, citing his own comments about having to visit the Lieutenant Governor’s office for a clerical issue.

Regarding the potential alliance between the National Conference and Congress, Mufti accused both parties of forming coalitions solely for power. She recalled PDP’s past alliances with Congress and BJP, emphasizing that their agreements had clear agendas, including promises related to Article 370, AFSPA, and dialogue with Pakistan and separatist groups. In contrast, she argued that the NC-Congress alliance would be driven by a quest for power rather than a substantive agenda.