Jammu and Kashmir: Political parties under Gupkar alliance to unitedly fight upcoming DDC elections
The PAGD decided to participate in the DDC polls at its first meeting in Jammu, since its formation last month.
Published: 07th November 2020 07:17 PM | Last Updated: 08th November 2020 08:04 AM | A+A A-
Farooq Abdullah after 'People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration' meet in Srinagar (Photo | ANI)
SRINAGAR: The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of seven parties fighting for the restoration of Article 370, on Saturday decided to jointly contest the first-ever District Development Council (DDC) polls in J&K, beginning December 1.
The Congress has also decided to join the fray to stop “BJP’s divisive politics”.PAGD leaders met at the residence of National Conference president and former CM Farooq Abdullah in Jammu on Saturday and discussed whether to contest the DDC polls.
“One point of today’s meeting was the upcoming DDC elections. It was unanimously decided that we will fight these elections jointly despite the abruptness of the timing,” PAGD spokesman Sajjad Lone told the media.He said the suddenness of the government decision led the PAGD leaders to believe that the “sacred space in democracy should not be allowed to be invaded by divisive forces.”
“We won’t allow this space for invaders. We will keep it for the future generations. We are all going to fight it together.”Sajjad, who was a minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party quota in BJP-PDP coalition government from 2015 to 2018, said the PAGD chairman Farooq Abdullah would release the names of all candidates.
The PAGD leaders during their first visit to Jammu held meetings with various delegations including leaders of political parties, civil society members, Gujjar and Bakerwal, Scheduled Caste and Other Backward Caste, Sikhs, Kashmiri Pandits, Dalits, Gaddi and Sippi community and transporters.
