Says PDP, Gupkar alliance will take final call on taking part in elections

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said her party and the recently-floated People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration would take a final decision on whether to contest elections or not in the UT.

In her first media interaction in over 14 months after the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 in August last year and her subsequent detention, Mufti said personally she was not interested in contesting polls till the erstwhile state’s flag and constitution were restored.

“As far as the PDP is concerned, now we are not alone. If you remember, we, along with the NC, had taken a united stand before the commencement of panchayat polls (in 2018) that we will not participate in them. This time also, we will discuss it in the party, with our workers, and then discuss it in the People’s Alliance (for Gupkar Declaration). Whatever decision we take there, will be bound on everyone,” she told reporters at a press conference at her Gupkar residence.

However, the former Chief Minister said on the personal front, she had no interest in contesting any elections till the erstwhile state’s flag and its constitution was restored.

“As far as I am concerned, I have no interest in elections. Till the time the constitution, under which I used to contest elections, is returned to us, Mehbooba Mufti has got nothing to do with elections, let me tell you that,” she said.

“I am no more for power be it a union territory or even a state. I was never for power. If I had any greed for power, we would not have left the Congress and created the PDP. We are not only for power. We could have made the government with the Congress (after 2014 polls), but we entered into an alliance with the BJP for a reason,” she said, adding that “I am not ready to take any oath without my flag and my constitution”.

When asked about whether her party and the Gupkar alliance will contest the District Development Councils’ polls, she said a meeting of the alliance was being held on Saturday where these issues would also be discussed apart from the general situation in J&K.

However, when inquired further if not contesting those polls would be like conceding the space to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mufti said it was a hypothetical question.

“You are discussing everything hypothetically. The alliance will sit and discuss it. It is not about the BJP, it is about the BJP and its cronies. Because, people have to survive and God forbid, it should not happen that they (people) will come into the hands of those where they will be kicked out. So, we will take a decision keeping in mind all the pros and cons. Farooq (Abdullah) sahib is our leader, so we will take the right decision after everyone gives their opinion,” she said. — PTI

Courtesy: Daily Tribune: 23rd October 2020