The National Conference seems to have made up its mind and has decided to 'ekla chalo re' or go it alone in the forthcoming Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
Dropping clear hints on Wednesday one of the key constituents of People's Alliance for Gupka Declaration (PAGD) suggested the party was in no mood to jointly contest the polls under the banner of PAGD. “Provincial Committee members (of National Conference unanimously resolved that JKNC should prepare and fight all 90 seats,” the party said in a statement after a meeting chaired by party’s vice president Omar Abdullah.
During the meeting the National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah also declared that the only way to protect J&K's identity is to first register, and cast your vote in huge numbers.
PAGD- an amalgam of five parties – the National Conference, PDP, Awami National Conference, CPI(M) and CPI – was formed in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 provisions with the main aim of restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed on August 4, 2019. Peoples' Conference led by Sajad Lone had earlier exited the PAGD.
In July this year, NC president Farooq Abdullah, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had announced that PAGD will contest together. However, nothing concrete fructified on the ground during the period. No formal meeting was convened by the leaders to specifically chalk out their future course of action focusing only on the joint preparations for the Assembly polls.