The National Conference, one of the main political parties in Jammu & Kashmir, has expressed willingness to participate in next month’s Panchayat polls but wants ‘roadblocks’ placed in its way to be removed so that it can campaign freely.
The party, which had stayed away from the 2018 Panchayat polls, said the detention of its top leaders will hamper the process of candidate selection and campaign.
It has expressed its willingness to take part in the poll process this time as the election will be held on party lines.
In a letter to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar, NC central secretary Rattan Lal Gupta said the party is a strong votary of democratic process and wishes to participate in the eight-phase elections starting March 5 in over 11,000 seats.
A copy of the letter has been marked to the Chief Election Commissioner.
The letter States that 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.
Therefore, the process of selecting candidates and campaigning under the given circumstances is impossible, the letter said.
As per the rule, either the party president or vice president have to sign the nomination papers of prospective candidates.