SRINAGAR: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti says that she is not going to contest any Assembly elections unless Article 370 is restored.
Two former Chief Ministers and erstwhile rivals Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, while claiming that people of Jammu and Kashmir have rejected abrogation of Article 370, have said that the BJP should understand that they cannot go against the will of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing his party activists at the Nawa-e-Subh complex in Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah said that despite all hindrances created by the Central government, people of Jammu and Kashmir came out and rejected their false narrative.
He said that earlier too Central agencies and the governments including former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao have written an epitaph at the National Conference. “They finally begged in London to me pleading for my participation in the 1996 elections. I will never bow before BJP as I bow only before Almighty Allah,” said Farooq Abdullah.
Narrating the difficulties faced by PAGD—the seven-party alliance—Farooq said despite all these political realities, it is a huge victory for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
PAGD has won 13 out of 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehbooba Mufti, while expressing similar sentiments, said that she is not going to contest any Assembly elections unless Article 370 is restored. When asked by a news channel if she was going to be a chief ministerial candidate, she said she would not be in the race as she is not going to contest any elections.
She said that all efforts of PAGD would be for the restoration of Article 370 and it was their primary aim and not any power politics in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehbooba said that the BJP, despite its best efforts, by detaining candidates, leaders, and even using muscle power, has not been able to create any wedge among the people of Jammu and Kashmir and they have rejected their false narrative about “Naya Kashmir”.