PDP will contest from all Kashmir LS seats: Mehbooba Mufti

SRINAGAR — People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said that the party will contest from all Lok Sabha seats of Kashmir, adding the list of the candidates will be made public within the coming days.

Addressing a press conference here in Srinagar, Mehbooba, as per the news agency KNS, said that PDP will contest from all Kashmir Lok Sabha seats.

She expressed dejection over remarks made by NC leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over PDP that the party exists nowhere on the ground and it will not field its candidates from Kashmir.

“There was a need to fight polls together because of the situation that emerged after August 5, 2019. Everyone has been restricted and no one is allowed to talk. PDP has been the prime target. So in such a situation what is left with us,” Mehbooba asked.

Expressing disappointment over remarks made by the former chief minister, Mehbooba said, “Had Omar Abdullah consulted with us, PDP would have considered the situation for the larger interest of Kashmir but he took the decision without taking us on board.”

She said that due to Omar Abdullah’s remarks against PDP, its workers were deeply hurt. “The workers of PDP are broken due to statements made by Omar Abdullah. PDP has attained power two times in the recent past but still Omar Abdullah is saying PDP is non-existent,” she said.

She questioned the role of Dr Farooq Abdullah with regard to the alliance, saying, “When you assign leadership responsibility to anyone, he should have delivered justice to all. But they have not left any space for us. We hoped NC would rise above the party affiliations this time but they proved us wrong. Omar Abdullah’s presser was unfortunate in that he spoke against our credibility. This was injustice with our party workers who are surviving in a tumultuous situation”.

Mehbooba, however, added that PDP will announce the list of candidates within a couple of days.