National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Monday announced that the constituents of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) will contest the upcoming election to the district development councils in Jammu and Kashmir individually. He said it may not be possible to allot candidates a combined symbol at this advanced stage of the poll process.
“Now there is very little time and therefore the alliance partners will contest on their own, but they will jointly represent the PAGD,” Abdullah said, while speaking to media persons on the sidelines of a social function in Kathua late Monday.
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When asked about the controversy regarding certain remarks attributed to him, Abdullah said those indulging in such vicious campaigns may have nothing to say about the strong defence put forth by him and Atal Bihari Vajpayee during a United Nations event in Geneva. “When it comes to fighting for the nation, I have always been in the forefront,” he said, adding that dubbing him anti-national was nothing new, as some people “are fashioned to speak this language”.
The NC chief said that the PAGD’s fight is not against the nation but a certain party that has brought the country to an impasse by dividing communities and creating a wedge between them. He said he has always opposed the divisive politics of the BJP, as he believes in the India of Mahatma Gandhi, which is inclusive, based on the spirit of respect for all, harmony and tranquillity. He said India belongs to all, irrespective of region, religion or colour and those trying to trample this glorious and unique ethos were enemies of the nation.
To a question on the US elections, Abdullah replied that he hoped the new regime will clear the mess across the world created during the tenure of Donald Trump. He said irrational and reactionary politics have no place in democracy. “Like the US, a change is sure to take place in India also,” he added.
Earlier, replying to media questions, NC provincial president Devender Singh Rana said that the new alliance will carry out its political obligations under the ambit of the Constitution of India.
Rana said that his party’s fight is not against the nation but against the divisive thought that is not in consonance with the traditional unity in diversity of this country.