SRINAGAR: Given the BJP raking up the revocation of Article 370 in poll-bound Bihar, the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir is in a fix whether to join the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration or fight individually for the restoration of statehood and constitutional safeguards.
For the second time in as many days, Congress leader did not attend the alliance meeting in Srinagar on Saturday. On the October 15 formal launch of the alliance, PCC chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir skipped the meeting citing health concerns.
People’s Alliance coordinator and NC MP Hasnain Masoodi said the last time Mir claimed that he could not attend the meeting due to health issues but this time there has been no communication from Congress.
The Congress was not given any position in the formal structure of Alliance announced after the meeting on Saturday.
“They seem to be part of the alliance because Congress leader Chidambaram has backed our alliance and fight for August 4, 2019 position,” Masoodi said.
Mir, meanwhile, claimed that the party is busy campaigning in poll-bound states.
“Our whole leadership is busy with the electioneering.”
The PCC chief refused to comment on his party’s stand, saying that the media would know about it when the Congress leaders attend a meeting later.
Congress spokesman Ravindra Sharma was more forthcoming as he asserted that it was not important to be part of an alliance or not.
“What is important is that we are already opposing the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&K into UTs inside and outside Parliament.”
“We are together for seeking the just demands. We support constitutional and democratic mode of seeking rights. But we don’t support certain unwarranted utterances like hurting sentiments of people on tricolour and bringing China into the issue. It also spoils their cause also,” he said, adding such acts give the BJP a chance to rake up Article 370 revocation issue in Bihar, UP and MP.