The Gupkar alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, formed to fight against the revocation of the erstwhile state’s special status, may be falling apart as one of its main constituents — Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference — has decided to go solo in the next elections.
National Conference, which joined hands with arch-rival Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to set up the alliance, has said it will contest the next assembly elections on its own. It denounced “unfair treatment” which it claims the party has been subjected to in the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD).
“Only way to protect J&Ks identity is to first register, and cast your vote in huge numbers: @OmarAbdullah to people. Provincial Committee members unanimously resolved that JKNC should prepare and fight all 90 seats,” the Jammu Kashmir National Conference tweeted today.
Interestingly, Farooq Abdullah heads the four-party alliance comprising the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), CPI(M), and Awami National Conference.
The NC has alleged that some constituent of the Gupkar alliance has made statements and speeches against the NC which doesn’t contribute to the overall unity of the alliance.
Demanding “immediate course correction” from PAGD constituents, the party further said, “the participants present in the meeting expressed dismay over the recent statements, audio jingles & speeches made by some of the constituents of the PAGD targeting JKNC. They felt that it does not contribute to the overall unity of the amalgam.
The PDP has responded to the National Conference statement saying that PAGD was formed for a much larger cause than just elections.
“PAGD was conceived for a much larger cause than just an electoral alliance. If some constituent of the Alliance has reservations for any kind of electoral alliance, that will not impact our unity for the larger goal,” PDP spokesperson Syed Suhail Bukhari tweeted.
This is the first major sign of trouble in the alliance that Farooq Abdullah heads.