SRINAGAR: Political parties in J&K applauded Friday the announcement of assembly elections, calling it a big leap towards restoring democracy after six years of central rule and abrogation of special status in 2019.
Former CM Omar Abdullah of the National Conference (NC) described the announcement of the three-phased polls from Sept 18 as the end of a long wait. “Better late than never,” Omar said.Omar’s father and NC president Farooq Abdullah echoed the sentiment. “I thank God. This has been an unusually long gap. The last elections were in 2014,” Farooq said.
Omar, though, pointed out that this election might be the first since 1987-88 to be held within such a short time frame. Earlier elections were held in five to six phases. “It will be a new experiment for parties. But NC is prepared and will soon start electioneering,” Omar said, appearing to rule out for now “any pre-poll alliance”.
People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Iltija Mufti welcomed the decision but wondered what took the Election Commission (EC) six years. “In the last five years, not only fundamental rights of the people of J&K but democracy has been suspended,” said Iltija, daughter and media adviser of PDP president and former CM Mehbooba Mufti.
Iltija argued the Centre had not done the J&K people any favour by announcing the polls, saying “it is a fundamental right in a democracy to choose a government”.
Both NC and PDP questioned the massive shake-up of the administration in the last 24 hours preceding the announcement of the polls, including the appointment of Nalin Prabhat as new J&K DGP. “We have doubts this government is helping BJP and its B, C and D teams. EC should stop transfers outside its guidelines,” Omar said.
PDP’s Iltija aired similar concerns. “We know the LG (Manoj Sinha’s) administration is full of bias. It favours BJP and has been hostile towards the other parties here,” she said.
Congress’s J&K senior vice-President Ravinder Sharma remarked that the people had been waiting for polls since the fall of the PDP-BJP govt in 2018. “We hope every party will have a level-playing field,” former CPM legislator M Yousuf Tarigami said. Altaf Bukhari’s Apni Party and Sajjad Lone’s Peoples’ Conference also hailed the move.
Former CM Omar Abdullah of the National Conference (NC) described the announcement of the three-phased polls from Sept 18 as the end of a long wait. “Better late than never,” Omar said.Omar’s father and NC president Farooq Abdullah echoed the sentiment. “I thank God. This has been an unusually long gap. The last elections were in 2014,” Farooq said.
Omar, though, pointed out that this election might be the first since 1987-88 to be held within such a short time frame. Earlier elections were held in five to six phases. “It will be a new experiment for parties. But NC is prepared and will soon start electioneering,” Omar said, appearing to rule out for now “any pre-poll alliance”.
People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Iltija Mufti welcomed the decision but wondered what took the Election Commission (EC) six years. “In the last five years, not only fundamental rights of the people of J&K but democracy has been suspended,” said Iltija, daughter and media adviser of PDP president and former CM Mehbooba Mufti.
Iltija argued the Centre had not done the J&K people any favour by announcing the polls, saying “it is a fundamental right in a democracy to choose a government”.
Both NC and PDP questioned the massive shake-up of the administration in the last 24 hours preceding the announcement of the polls, including the appointment of Nalin Prabhat as new J&K DGP. “We have doubts this government is helping BJP and its B, C and D teams. EC should stop transfers outside its guidelines,” Omar said.
PDP’s Iltija aired similar concerns. “We know the LG (Manoj Sinha’s) administration is full of bias. It favours BJP and has been hostile towards the other parties here,” she said.
Congress’s J&K senior vice-President Ravinder Sharma remarked that the people had been waiting for polls since the fall of the PDP-BJP govt in 2018. “We hope every party will have a level-playing field,” former CPM legislator M Yousuf Tarigami said. Altaf Bukhari’s Apni Party and Sajjad Lone’s Peoples’ Conference also hailed the move.
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