PDP leaves panchayat poll participation to legislators

MLAs, MLCs can take call on elections in their constituencies

To keep its flock together, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership has authorised its legislators to decide on their own regarding the panchayat polls in their respective constituencies. The party was forced to adopt a flexible attitude on the elections as the boycott of civic bodies elections has not gone down well with its workers.

Although no official announcement has been made in this regard, legislators were asked to take the decision on the panchayat elections on their own. Notably, the elections will be held on a non-party basis.

Sources said a discussion was held in a meeting of party legislators on Saturday afternoon in Srinagar. “Although the party leadership is sticking to its official stand of boycotting the panchayat elections, some legislators suggested that giving a free hand to the rivals in the polls would prove to be disastrous for the party in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections,” a source said, adding, “it was due to the pressure of some legislators that the leadership has decided not to stop any worker who is willing to contest the panchayat elections.”
The meeting of party legislators, including MLAs and MLCs, was held in Srinagar on Saturday to discuss the prevailing political situation and outcome of the municipal elections in the state.

A senior PDP leader said some legislators cautioned the leaders against adopting a rigid attitude on boycotting the panchayat elections. They argued that the panchayat elections would be held on a non-party basis so there was no reason to debar any party worker from contesting the polls.

Notably, a large number of PDP workers had contested the civic bodies elections as Independents across the state. Some senior PDP leaders had fielded their family members in the Jammu region.

The sources said the party leadership had asked the candidates, who lost the last Assembly elections in the Valley, to start work in their respective constituencies in connection with the preparations of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. “All legislators and defeated candidates have been directed to reach out to the people and start organising meetings in their respective areas,” the sources said, adding that the party had started preparations for the Lok Sabha elections.