&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Mehbooba Mufti announces support to National Conference for the upcoming Rajya Sabha Elections")
In a pointed critique of the ruling National Conference (NC) government, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti announced on Thursday that her party, despite holding just three seats in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, will extend its support to the NC during the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The move, she emphasised, underscores a fragile unity against perceived threats to democratic norms—but not without sharp warnings to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Mufti, addressing party workers and the media in Srinagar, reflected on the PDP's electoral mandate while decrying what she described as a renewed clampdown on free speech in the region. "We fought elections for the freedom of speech," Mufti declared, "but I hear it's being suppressed again. Selected journalists are being allowed to enter the assembly."
The PDP chief reserved her harshest words for the contentious Land Regularisation Bill, a proposed legislation and a measure critics have dubbed "land jihad" for allegedly favouring certain communities at the expense of indigenous rights. Positioning herself as a staunch defender of Kashmiri land rights, Mufti issued a direct challenge to Abdullah: "The Leader of the Opposition has said we will see how the Land Regularisation Bill is tabled. It's a land jihad, and I want to tell Omar Abdullah to ensure that the bill comes in the assembly and it's passed. Otherwise, it will be a betrayal."
"People will then decide it, and it will also get clear who is supporting the BJP."
The reference to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) evoked long-standing accusations that the NC has softened its stance toward New Delhi's policies post the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, potentially at the cost of regional autonomy.
Mehbooba Further added that "We support Shammi Oberoi for the third seat and will vote accordingly. However, we will not vote for the fourth seat to avoid contributing to their defeat. The NC should redirect their votes for the fourth seat, ''
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