Owais Gul
Srinagar, Nov 13: For the first time since its formation, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) attended the meeting of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of top mainstream parties in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting, which began at PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti’s residence in the morning, was called to finalize the candidates from Kashmir Valley for all the eight phases of the upcoming District Development Council (DDC) polls, slated to be held from November 28.
The meeting began at 10:30 AM at Mehbooba’s residence and after Friday prayers, the second round of the meeting was held at NC headquarters in Nawa-e-Subha here.
Notably, the PAGD has recently declared the list of 27 constituencies in which candidates from three parties including National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples Conference (PC) were chosen to contest the polls on their respective party symbols.
However, the Congress party for the first time has attended the meeting of PAGD today since its formation. The participants of the meeting told KNO that two leaders from Congress joined the meeting today, saying that Congress is fully the part of the alliance, which was recently formed to fight for the restoration of erstwhile State’s special status and Statehood.
G N Monga, who attended the meeting today, said that the Congress is completely supporting the PAGD in its motive, which includes the restoration of J&K special status, adding that the Congress is also contesting the elections unitedly with PAGD.
Awami National Conference (ANC) senior vice president, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah said the alliance is finalizing the candidates from Kashmir Valley for all the eight phases.
He said the meeting will continue tomorrow as well. “The constituents of the alliance are finalizing the candidates for the eight-phases, except the one already decided and made public.”
Shah also said that there is consensus among the alliance partners and all the constituents are unanimously deciding the candidates and seat sharing for the upcoming polls.
Pertinently, PAGD, an amalgam of top mainstream leaders unanimously decided to contest the upcoming polls in Jammu and Kashmir unitedly.
Notably, the maiden DDC polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in eight phases from November 28 while the counting will take place on December 22. (KNO)
