2024 Elections: PDP Follows NC, Decides to Contest Lok Sabha Polls Independently; Mehbooba and Omar Engage in Verbal Sparring

• Hours after the PDP decided to contest Lok Sabha elections in alone, NC leader Omar Abdullah accused PDP president Mehbooba Mufti of going back on the understanding reached between the constituents of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration
• “The decision was based on a simple principle: whoever secured victory in the Assembly seat would contest from there in the General Elections. Therefore, we’ve maintained consistency with our approach,” he said

The PDP and the National Conference — the two INDIA bloc partners in Jammu and Kashmir — will be taking on each other on the three Lok Sabha seats in the Valley. The PDP accused National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah of leaving them with “no option”. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti was referring to Omar’s March 8 press conference, in which he announced that the NC would contest from all three seats in the Valley and would not leave any for its INDIA bloc partner, the PDP.

Mehbooba said since 2019, the situation has become increasingly oppressive in Kashmir. “Journalists are detained and employees fear speaking out. In such circumstances, we felt it was necessary to come together,” Mehbooba said.

“During a meeting of the INDIA alliance in Mumbai, I emphasised that Farooq Abdullah is our senior leader and we entrusted him with the decision-making for J&K.” “We believed in Farooq’s wisdom and hoped for fair treatment. We trusted he would transcend party politics,” the PDP president said.

“If Farooq Sahab or Omar Sahab had reached out to us and communicated their decision, we would have respected it,” the PDP president said.

“But the unilateral manner in which Omar Sahab made the decision, without consulting us or seeking our input, claiming that the PDP has no existence and Mehbooba Mufti was ranked fourth, has deeply wounded our workers,” former Chief Minister said. “When things were easy, you remained inactive. When you judge someone, it’s the judge’s responsibility to uphold fairness,” Mehbooba said.

The PDP president said her workers were deeply hurt by Omar Abdullah’s statement. “They were heartbroken to hear him disregard the PDP, a party that secured 28 seats in 2014 and ousted the NC from power twice. How can I reassure our workers now when Omar Abdullah says that the PDP should not contest against them,” she said.

“I listened to Mehbooba Ji’s (Mehbooba Mufti) speech in New Delhi on Sunday. She clearly stated that Farooq Sahab (Farooq Abdullah) and we are together, committed to the INDIA alliance and its integrity. If Mehbooba conveyed this message in Delhi, why then are attempts being made to create division and conflict between us?,” Omar questioned.