Journalist, businessman join PDP
*Won’t contest Assembly polls: Mehbooba
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 28: Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) today announced a list of 17 candidates for contesting upcoming Assembly elections.
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The fresh list, as per party release, has been announced by the party’s Parliamentary Board which fielded further 17 candidates for different Assembly constituencies of J&K.
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As per the list, Mohammad Khursheed Alam will contest elections from Eidgah, Sheikh Gowher Ali from Zadibal, Mohammad Iqbal Trumboo from Chanapora, Bashir Ahmad Mir from Ganderbal, Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi from Budgam, Adv Javid Choudhary from Surankote, Adv Mahroof Khan from Mendhar, Farooq Inqilabi from Gulabgarh, Adv Syed Majid Shah from Kalakote-Sunderbani, Adv Haq Nawaz from Nowshera, Master Tasaduq Hussain from Rajouri, Adv Guftar Ahmed Choudhary from Thannamandi, Syed Tajamul Islam from Bandipora, Adv Abdul Haq Khan from Lolab, Basharat Bukhari from Wagoora Kreeri, and Javaid Iqbal Ganaie from Pattan.
Earlier, senior journalist Syed Tajamul Islam and businessman, Sheikh Gowher Ali, joined the PDP and they were given mandates from Bandipora and Zadibal constituencies respectively.
Hailing from Bandipora, Islam is senior journalist who had been associated with All India Radio Srinagar, Gulistan news and several other media organizations before joining politics.
Ali is a respected businessman who was also the former secretary of KCC&I. His father Haji Sheikh Ali Mohammad was a founding member of the Awami Action Committee led by Mirwaiz Omar Farooq. Sheikh Gowher is also the brother-in-law of Mushtaq Chaya, a prominent businessman.
In the meantime, Peoples Conference also announced the first list of seven candidates contesting upcoming Assembly elections.
The announcement made by the party said that the list has been approved by the party president Sajad Gani Lone.
As per the list party senior leader Abdul Gani Vakil will contest polls from Rafiabad, Nazir Ahmad Laway from Kulgam, Abid Hussain Ansari from Zadibal, Irfan Matto from Eidgah, Dr Bashir Ahmad Chalkoo from Uri, Asif Lone from Baramulla, and Mohammad Hamza Lone from Gurez.
Meanwhile, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said today that whenever there has been an alliance between the National Conference (NC) and Congress, it has been for power, not for the implementation of an agenda.
Speaking to the media during a joining ceremony, Mufti said she will not contest the Assembly elections, pointing out that she would not be able to fulfil her party’s agenda in the Union Territory set up even if she were to become the Chief Minister.
“I have been Chief Minister of a Government with the BJP which revoked FIRs against 12,000 persons (in 2016). Can we do that now? I, as the chief minister of a Government with (PM) Modi, wrote a letter to separatists to invite them for talks. Can you do that today? I got a ceasefire (implemented) on ground. Can you do that today? If you cannot take back an FIR as Chief Minister, what does one do with such a post?” she said.
“Omar himself said that he will have to be at the door of the (lieutenant) Governor for the transfer of a peon. I am not bothered about the transfer of the peon but can we implement our agenda?” she asked.
Mufti said that the PDP has always prioritized its agenda and ensured its implementation for the betterment of the people of J&K.
“Whenever there is a Congress-NC alliance, it is always for power. If Mufti Sahab had been after power, it was offered by both the NC and Congress in 2014, but for us, our agenda has always been the priority,” she said.
The PDP president emphasized that the NC-Congress alliance has not been formed with any specific agenda in mind, while for the PDP, she said, having an agenda and ensuring its implementation is the priority.
“For us, alliances go beyond power; our agenda takes the lead. When we had an agenda of alliance with the BJP Government, not the BJP as a party, a number of things were achieved that are not possible today,” she said.
“Geelani was released, FIRs were cancelled; we had an agenda of alliance that included not interfering with Article 370, the return of power projects, repealing AFSPA, dialogue with Pakistan, and several other things.”
Mufti contrasted this with the NC-Congress alliance, saying, “What we saw in 1987 happened; Maqbool Bhat was hanged, and then Afzal Guru; it is all in front of the people.”
She further said that the PDP is fighting for a bigger cause, noting that the party comes with an agenda and ensures its implementation. “We did a number of things we had promised. We believe that the Kashmir issue is an issue that cannot be ignored. To solve that, the restoration of Article 370 is important.”
Regarding whether she will be fighting in the Assembly elections, she said that the J&K Assembly has been reduced to a mere municipality, without power, noting, “As a Chief Minister, I wrote to separatists for dialogue; I ensured a ceasefire; all this cannot be done during these times. I have been a powerful Chief Minister. Now, it’s a municipality; we cannot even pass a law.”
“If anyone comes to me seeking the release of an innocent person, if I cannot do that when I have ensured the cancellation of FIRs, what kind of CM would I be?” she asked.
She also mentioned that Omar Abdullah said he would have to go to the LG for the transfer of a peon. “I am not concerned about that; I have been a CM who worked with the BJP and got 12,000 FIRs cancelled.”
Mufti, while stating that opening the doors of jails will start the process of reconciliation in J&K, called for the release of people, especially youngsters who are languishing in jails.
“Engineer Rasheed, Shabir Shah, and others should be released; the youngsters are in a bad condition, they should be released. Reaching out to people and reconciliation is the key; democracy is a fight of ideas,” she said.
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