Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, Jan 12: Vice-president of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), Mehbooba Mufti, has tried to down play the controversy raked by senior leader of Peoples Conference, Imran Ansari.
The PC leader had written a letter to his party chairman Sajad Gani Lone, who is also PAGD spokesman, and questioned his decision to join the PAGD.
“Delhi is deeply rattled by PAGD so I expect this false campaign to intensify in the coming days. Many PDP leaders are already arrested & I expect the situation to worsen. But this will not break our resolve to stand united & fight for what’s rightfully ours,” Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.
“Amidst all the unnecessary speculation about PAGD, I’d like make a few things absolutely clear. The purpose of this grand alliance is not for petty electoral gains. It exists for a much larger cause & purpose i.e. to restore J&Ks special status,” she said.
She claimed that there are attempts being made to “discredit” PAGD amongst the masses.
An analyst while talking to Precious Kashmir said, “Mehbooba has spoken after a long time. She had remained silent after declaration of DDC election results. She had even stayed away from the PAGD meeting which was held after the results came out.
He said Mehbooba speaking up is an indication that PAGD leaders are feeling the heat and have realized that if they remain silent it can add to the confusion.
“Sajad Lone is caught in a tight spot. It seems that Mehbooba has come out to defend him and is trying to project that all is well within the conglomerate,” the analyst said.
It’s in place to mention here that Ansari in his letter to Lone had accused the National Conference of fielding proxy candidates against the PAGD candidates. He even blamed NC of backstabbing the Peoples Conference in the recently held DDC elections.
A political observer said PAGD leaders should put their act together to keep their flock intact.
“If they fail to do so, it will create confusion. Ansari’s letter could just be a beginning of a rebellion. If the PAGD leaders fail to diffuse the crisis at this point of time, it could lead to many more issues snowballing into major controversies,” he said.
According to political observer, “The PAGD by winning 110 DDC seats collectively has driven home a point that the amalgam can give a tough fight to any national party in the assembly elections whenever these are held in J&K.”
