By: Owais Gul
Srinagar: Amid complete silence over the forthcoming elections for the chairpersons of District Development Council (DDC), the constituents of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Alliance (PAGD) are indecisive whether it will contest unitedly.
The constituents of PAGD said that participating in polls was never the reason behind the formation of an alliance. “We (political parties) participated in unison to ensure that a befitting reply is given over the decision taken by the government on August 05, 2019.
National Conference (NC) leader and Member of Parliament (MP), Hassnain Masoodi said that the notification for the elections for the chairpersons of DDC have been issued since yesterday. “We are likely to have considerations. But, the meeting has not been scheduled yet,” he said.
“I expect that the alliance will contest unitedly again,” he said, however, added that elections were never an aim for the parties behind forging an alliance. “Election was a thrust decision. So, we participated unitedly to ensure BJP will not have a cake walk. We did succeed in that and people voted against the decision taken on August 05, 2019,” he said.
He added that to have chairpersons was never the motive, adding that “let nobody have any doubts about it that we are determinant to pursue the cause, which is to restore August 04 position.”
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) General Secretary and party’s senior leader, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura said the meeting of PAGD has not taken place yet. However, he said “we are expecting that a meeting will take place in this within next two or three days.”
“Definitely, the PAGD is going to contest in elections for chairpersons of DDC unitedly again,” he said.
Meanwhile CPI (M) senior leader and former Kulgam legislator, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami said that the lower rung leaders have already started holding meetings in this regard, but the top leadership is yet to have any deliberations regarding the elections for chairpersons.
“The meeting has not been fixed yet, but may be shortly,” he said.
Pertinently, the six parties including NC, PDP, PC, CPI (M), JKPM and ANC contested the maiden District Development Council (DDC) polls unitedly across J&K under the banner of PAGD and emerged victorious from 110 constituencies.
It is worth to mention here that one among the constituents, Peoples Conference (PC) led by former minister Sajad Gani Lone parted ways with PAGD citing fielding of proxy candidates—(KNO)
