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J&K Opposition leaders’ Aug 7 Jammu meeting called off
Opposition leaders meeting in J&K led by Farooq Abdullah called off. Differences within National Conference cited as reason.
The opposition leaders meet in J&K under the leadership of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has been called off.
Last week, CPI (M) general secretary and People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) spokesman Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami issued a statement saying that other than BJP, all leaders of different political parties will meet in Jammu on August 7 to discuss the strategy to stop disempowerment of J&K and to discuss the amendments to the transaction of business of the government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules 2019.
The move was welcomed by leaders of different political parties especially Apni Party Altaf Bukhari, who had called for unity to stop further erosion of laws in J&K.
However, days after calling the meeting, Tarigami on Monday said that the meeting had been postponed without giving any solid reasons.
“I don’t know why but Dr Farooq Abdullah has refused to chair the meeting and he hasn’t said anything about a future date,” Tarigami said.
It is learnt that a few leaders in the National Conference, after the recent debacle in LS polls, are against the joint meetings.
Since the abrogation of Article 370, the majority of political parties in the UT have been seeking assembly polls and the Centre’s recent move to give more powers to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) sent the alarm bells ringing within the political circles. A joint front, PAGD was formed to put up a united front but lately, fissures within the alliance have come to the fore.
The PAGD had contested the first district development council (DDC) polls jointly. However, Sajjad Lone’s People’s Conference parted ways after the DDC polls. Later, the National Conference and the PDP also fought the first Lok Sabha polls against each other. However, recent developments had again forced them to look at a joint platform but sources said that some leaders within the National Conference were averse to holding such a joint meeting.
National Conference spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said that he wasn’t aware of any such meeting. “Our leadership is attending pre-arranged party conventions starting in August, both in and around the Jammu region and similarly in the Kashmir region.”
