National Conference hints at pulling out of PAGD, to contest Assembly polls in J&K solo

The fissures within the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) surfaced in open on Wednesday after National Conference announced that it will contest the upcoming Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir solo.

The NC after its provincial committee meeting in Srinagar expressed its dismay over recent statements, audio jingles and speeches made by some of the constituents of the PAGD targeting the Party. However, the party didn’t specify who made these statements.

“The participants of the Provincial Committee denounced the unfair treatment meted out to JKNC in PAGD. The participants demanded immediate course correction from PAGD constituents,” JKNC tweeted.

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In another tweet, it said: “The participants present in the meeting expressed dismay over the recent statements, audio jingles & speeches made by some of the constituents of the PAGD targeting JKNC. They felt that it does not contribute to the overall unity of the amalgam.”

While appealing to the voters to cast their votes in large numbers, the party said, “Provincial Committee members unanimously resolved that JKNC should prepare and fight all 90 seats.”

The PAGD, an alliance of five parties - NC, PDP, CPI, CPM and Awami National Conference - was formed on October 15, 2020, to work towards restoring the special status of J&K which was revoked in August 2019.

Following its formation, the PAGD contested the first-ever district development council (DDC) polls held in November-December 2020 in the alliance. However, bickering within the constituents of the Alliance over seat sharing surfaced immediately after it was formed.

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In January 2021, in a first blow to the PAGD, the People’s Conference (PC) led by Sajad Lone pulled out of it, saying there had been a breach of trust between the constituent parties.

However, two of the main constituents of the PAGD, the NC and the PDP, kept going and held dozens of meetings together vowing to fight democratically and peacefully for the restoration of the special status and statehood of Jammu and Kashmir.

With today’s announcement by the NC to contest much-awaited Assembly polls in J&K solo, the future of the Alliance looks bleak.

However, the PDP chief spokesperson Suhail Bukhari said elections were never the aim of his party or the reason for the formation of the PAGD. “In the larger interests of unity, the amalgam constituents need to move together. However, It is for the National Conference to take a call on the elections,” he said.