After former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah dubbed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as "so week" to contest Lok Sabha elections, Mehbooba Mufti hit back at the National Conference and blamed the party for sabotaging the opposition's unity in J&K.
"I am pained that all our efforts failed to jointly face the BJP due to misdeeds of the National Conference", she said, adding, "For the last five years, we have been working to jointly counter BJP's agenda in J&K but the decision of the National Conference has spoiled all our efforts".
Mehbooba Mufti passed these remarks while addressing a press conference after Omar Abdullah announced dumping PDP from the INDIA bloc in J&K.
"Had PDP taken into confidence before announcing to contest all the three seats of Kashmir Valley, we would have been ready to sacrifice its interest", Mehbooba said but added that the unilateral decision of the NC has shocked those who wanted to give one to one fight to the BJP.
PDP asserts to contest elections alone
Asserting that her party would contest the coming Lok Sabha elections, Mehbooba said, "You know I am a fighter and our party will fight back".
"After the formation of the Peoples' Alliance Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) we have authorized Dr. Farooq Abdullah to take all decisions because he is senior among all", Mehbooba said and added that even for small decisions Dr. Farooq Abdullah used to call me but for taking this big decision the PDP leadership was not informed.
"Even during the meeting of INDIA bloc, I authorized Dr. Farooq Abdullah to take all decisions regarding alliance in J&K", she said and added that what BJP could not do in J&K, one of the constituents of the PDP did it.
She said that NC's decision was a "setback to the hopes of the people of J&K".
She accused the National Conference of breaking PAGD unity, saying that Omar Abdullah himself said that PDP is out of the alliance.
PDP was formed to protect interests of J&K residents
Mehbooba recalled that the PAGD was formed to represent the core interests of Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing the need to prioritize the region's welfare over individual political gains.
Important to mention here that with much publicity, the PAGD was formed in 2019 by six political parties with the pledge of perseverance and steadfastness toward the restoration of Article 370.
This resolution was written in the Alliance's declaration where the political parties stated there would be "nothing about us without us," meaning they would stick together come what may.
"We want to assure people that all our political activities will be subservient to the sacred goal of reverting to the status of J&K as it existed before August 2019," reads PAGD's declaration.
Within a couple of months after its formation, PAGD received a severe jolt when Sajad Lone of the Peoples' Conference, left the alliance. Lone charged both NC and PDP with fielding proxy candidates against the officially mandated candidates of the alliance during the DDC elections. He called these actions "a breach of trust".
Mehbooba throws ball in Cong's Court
Mehbooba Mufti threw the ball in Congress's court, saying it would come up with a decision after consulting the party, which is part of the INDIA bloc.
Mehbooba Mufti said that she was hurt after NC's decision as the party has done what BJP can't do by damaging the PAGD.
She also said that she would talk to Congress in this regard and would come up with a decision soon.
