Mehbooba not to contest poll

Srinagar, August 28

Former J&K chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said she will not contest the Assembly elections, claiming that she would not be able to fulfil her party’s agenda in Jammu and Kashmir even if she were to become the chief minister.

“I have been chief minister of a government with the BJP which revoked FIRs against 12,000 persons (in 2016). Can we do that now? I, as the chief minister of a government with (PM) Modi, wrote a letter to separatists to invite them for talks. Can you do that today? I got a ceasefire (implemented) on ground. Can you do that today? I have been a very powerful chief minister, my assembly was powerful…If you cannot take back an FIR as chief minister, what does one do with such a post?” she said.

On the alliance between National Conference and Congress for Jammu and Kashmir polls, the PDP president said the two parties have always come together just for the sake of power.

“For PDP alliance goes beyond power,” she said, adding that the party doesn’t believe in seat sharing, but on agenda. Mehbooba said whenever PDP formed an alliance, it was based on an agenda while the Congress and National Conference alliance is for the sake of power.

She also highlighted the past Congress-NC alliance and said that Afzal Guru and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat were hanged during their tenure. She, however, said when PDP-Congress formed an alliance in the past, it provided relief to the people.

Mufti on Wednesday also demanded that jailed Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid and separatist leader Shabir Shah be released from jail.

Meanwhile, political parties in J&K released list of candidates for the second and third phase of Assembly elections. The Peoples Democratic Party and People’s Conference released names of their candidates ahead of the polls.