After National Conference, the State Unit of the Congress party on Monday announced 'conditional' participation in the Panchayat -by polls, being held to fill over 12,000 vacant seats in Jammu & Kashmir.
Since these by-polls are going to take place on party lines the mainstream political parties are keen on taking the plunge to test political waters at the grass roots.
Addressing a press conference here at party headquarters in Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Chief, GA Mir told reporters, "The Congress party is ready to participate in the Panchayat by-polls, as they are being held on party lines, but it is not possible for them to contest the same by remaining indoors".
Mir said, "on what basis by-polls are going to be conducted on party lines. He asked, where are the parties.Except BJP, leaders of no other mainstream parties are in the field. He said, those who want to participate in the polls even they are not being allowed to roam around freely and meet people. "They are being prevented to visit their constituencies and carry out political activity", he alleged.
Seeking immediate release of political leaders, detained since August 5, and freedom to campaign without any roadblocks and security restrictions, GA Mir appealed to the J&K administration to facilitate their participation in the polls by creating conducive atmosphere otherwise they won't be able to participate in these polls.
He said, "the Government is compelling us to boycott the polls but we will not boycott them". "Even if we are not allowed by the Government to participate in the polls i appeal to the common voters to expose evil designs of BJP and elect good candidates to fully empower them at the grass roots".
Earlier, on Sunday National Conference too had appealed local administration to remove “roadblocks” so that it can campaign freely.
In a letter to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar, NC central secretary Rattan Lal Gupta had stated it is practically impossible for the party to participate in the election when its top leaders, including its president Farooq Abdullah, vice-president Omar Abdullah, general secretary Ali Mohammed Sagar, are in detention under the stringent Public Safety Act.