Farooq Abdullah hints at fighting polls with PAGD allies

New Delhi, December 26

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, who is the chairperson of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), has hinted his party will fight the next Assembly elections in J&K together with the constituents of the new coalition to defeat “communal forces”.

Talking about the situation in Kashmir, Abdullah claimed it was worse than the 90s — when militancy erupted in the UT — because the youth feel they have no place in modern India and have lost faith in the government in Delhi.

“...and I am sure when the elections come, we’ll sit down together again to defeat the divisive and communal forces,” Abdullah, who has been a Union minister and three-time CM of the erstwhile state, said.

The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration is a five-party alliance comprising the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), CPM, Awami National Conference and the Peoples Movement. It seeks the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir which was revoked by the Centre in August 2019.

“What is created is a combination of all parties to fight for the rights and identity of our people — the Dogras, the Kashmiris and others. We recently had a meeting and we all condemned what the delimitation commission has done,” Abdullah said.— PTI