Mehbooba Mufti offers unconditional support to NC-Congress alliance if they adopt PDP’s agenda

In a significant political twist,Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday (August 24) said that her party will give unconditional support to the National Conference (NC) and Congress's pre-poll allianceif both these parties accept PDP's manifesto.

It was during the release of the party manifestofor the upcoming assembly elections that Mufti said that the party is not vying for seats but is ready to back the alliance if it aligns with their agenda, which prominently includes addressing the long-standing Kashmir issue.

Mufti while reading out details from the manifesto said that "Power and seats don't matter for the PDP." Her party's primary concern is the resolution of critical issues facing the region.

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"We will not fight for the seats but will completely support the alliance if they agree to follow our agenda, which includes the resolution of the Kashmir issue.Power and seats don't matter for PDP, but in case the party's agenda is accepted, we will extend support to the alliance in Jammu and Kashmir."

"The traditional routes will be opened, free 200 units of electricity will be provided, the fight over the resolution of the Kashmir issue will be taken forward and the dialogue process to be started if PDP is elected to power,"said the PDP president.

The NC-Congress alliance, which also includes the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI (M)), has already announced plans to contest all 90 assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir. While seat-sharing agreements have largely been finalised, discussions continue over certain contentious constituencies where candidates from both parties are eager to compete.

Meanwhile, Apni Party president Syed Altaf Bukhari revealed that his party intends to field candidates on 60 seats, 40 in Kashmir and 20 in Jammu, during the upcoming assembly elections.

"There won't be any alliance with anyone, and we did bear the brunt in the Lok Sabha elections. We will contest the assembly polls on our own and we have decided not to go for any alliance this time. PDP and BJP are in a secret alliance with NC and Congress,"said Bukhari, president of the Apni Party.

Meanwhile, Congress chaired a meeting of its screening committee in Srinagar to address the concerns of party leaders who are aggrieved over seat-sharing with the National Conference.

Since the alliance between the Congress and NC has been announced, resentment within the Congress party is brewing against surrendering in front of NC.