November 26, 2023
In a continued exchange of verbal volleys between political heavyweights in Jammu and Kashmir, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fired back at the National Conference (NC), branding them a ‘power-hungry party.’ This development comes a day after NC vice-president Omar Abdullah attributed the loss of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status to PDP’s intransigence.
Former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, in a statement on Saturday, asserted that had PDP accepted unconditional support from NC post the 2014 Assembly elections, the region’s fate could have been different. Omar suggested that the 2019 decision, referring to the abrogation of Article 370, might have been averted if PDP had aligned with NC to keep the BJP away from the corridors of power.
In response, senior PDP leader and former MLC, Firdous Tak, countered Omar’s claims, stating, “In Jan 2015, a series of meetings were held with BJP policy makers in a 5-star hotel in Delhi. Former intel bosses and top media friends were used to broker a deal. PDP was projected as a frontal organization of Jamaat and detrimental to national security. Power was the sole objective.”
Political analysts view this verbal spat as a clear indication of the strained relationship between the two parties. The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), formed by Kashmir-based parties, including NC and PDP, to advocate for the reinstatement of Article 370, seems to be on shaky ground. Observers note that the alliance now exists merely on paper, with both NC and PDP seemingly charting separate paths within the broader I.N.D.I.A. alliance.
As the blame game intensifies, the once-united front of PAGD appears to be fading into the background, raising questions about the future trajectory of regional politics in Jammu and Kashmir.
