Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had decided not to field candidates from Jammu and Udhampur seats because of a tacit understanding between the so-called secular parties not to divide the ‘secular vote’. The Party had its Parliamentary Board meeting on Saturday in which the decision was taken. PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti said that the decision has been taken keeping in mind the larger interest of the State.
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The Party has not yet decided on the Ladakh seat. Mehbooba who will be contesting from the Anantnag seat said that the decision was taken after careful deliberations. “Some of our associates wanted to contest elections from these two seats as well. But people from civil society and social groups appealed that by contesting the elections the secular vote will be divided and it would help those forces who, we feel, want to destroy Jammu and Kashmir”, said Mufti.
The Party will field Aga Mohsin from Srinagar seat and Abdul Qayoom Wani, former leader of Employee’s Union, from the Baramulla seat. Mehbooba criticised Central government’s ban on the JKLF saying that the Central government was using a muscular policy for the elections and was making Jammu and Kashmir a sacrificial lamb in the process.