NC, PDP scoff at idea of polls in Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir’s two major political parties-National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-have scoffed at Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu over his evocation that elections to the Assembly in the recently carved out Union Territory (UT) would be held soon.

“We’ve been pushed in a very difficult situation after the illegal and unconstitutional repeal of Article 370 and bifurcation of our state. People are angry and at loss. Their leadership including three former chief ministers has been incarcerated and the situation is fluid,” said senior NC leader and Member Parliament Muhammad Akbar Lone. He asked, “How can one think of taking part in any elections in such a situation?”

He, however, also said that it is the NC leadership which will take a final call on this vital issue and demanded its release without further delay. “Our leaders should be released immediately. Once they are out, they will hold deliberations on the issue within the party and take the final call,” he said.

The PDP said that holding elections in current situation is akin to undermining democratic principles and urged the authorities to release the detained leadership immediately. “How can elections be held in a situation when leaders of major political groups have been detained in hordes”, asked PDP leader Parvez Wafa while speaking to reporters in Jammu on Saturday.

He said, “The way in which the authorities are mulling to hold polls will be unjustified, ironic and uncalled for. Since the leadership of major political parties and important office leaders are held under detention, the idea of holding polls itself loses the relevance and is contrary to the democratic ideas”.

He added, “Since in a democratic set up polls are a part of mechanism which delegates power to the people to choose their representatives and it is the duty of the state to ensure free and fair elections.”

He lamented that the PDP had requested the authorities to allow a delegation of its leaders and workers to meet the party president Mehbooba Mufti who is detained at a makeshift prison in Srinagar but the same was rejected even though National Conference leaders were allowed to meet their party president and vice-president who are also under detention since August 5.

J&K Lt. Governor Murmu had on Thursday hinted at the Assembly polls in the UT being held soon. He had said, “Election will come. It is a Union Territory with a legislature. It will not continue like this (under Centre’s rule).” He had also said that the process for holding the democratic exercise will begin soon and that the J&K police will have to play a major role in it.

J&K was split up into two UTs on October 31, more than 12 weeks after the abrogation of Article 370 under which the erstwhile state enjoyed a special status within the Indian Union.

The last Assembly of the united J&K elected through 2014 elections was dissolved by the then Governor Satya Pal Malik on November 22 last year to stall the attempt by PDP, NC and Congress to form a government.

The 87-member House had been under suspended animation since June 20, 2018 when the State was brought under Governor’s rule following the collapse of PDP-BJP coalition government.