Gupkar alliance finalises seat-sharing for DDC polls, Farooq denies any rift

People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) chairman Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said that there was no rift among the parties in this alliance and laid to rest all the speculations in media that PDP and JK Congress were not happy with the seat-sharing arrangements.

On Saturday, she suffered a setback when a senior party leader and former Deputy CM Muzaffar Hussain Beigh resigned, complaining that the PDP did not get its due share in the first phase of the seat-sharing arrangement.

In response to his resignation, Mehbooba Mufti tweeted and said that seat-sharing was not an issue as they were fighting for the big cause of restoration of special status.

On Sunday finally, Farooq Abdullah called Mehbooba Mufti and insisted her to join the meeting held at senior Abdullah residence at Gupkar Road Srinagar.

After the meeting concluded, Farooq Abdullah told the media that Mehbooba Mufti was told to choose the seats of her liking for the coming DDC elections and declared that they have reached consciences over this issue.

Here it’s pertinent to mention that PAGD has decided to participate in the coming DDC and panchayat bypolls being held in eight phases starting from 28 November.

JKPCC president G.A. Mir who participated in the meeting told the media that they have complete unity and will fight together for the “rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Insiders in the PDP said that Muzaffar Hussain Beigh resigned as one of his close associates was not given a mandate for the DDC seat in the Wagoora area of Baramulla.

The National Conference insisted that it should be given to them, forcing Beigh to resign on this issue.

Muzaffar Hussain Beigh was the only politician from PDP who was not arrested after 5 August 2019 and was also awarded the Padma Bhushan Award.