Mehbooba holds meet on poll debacle

After the election set back, this was the first review meeting of the party and was chaired by party president Mehbooba Mufti

After facing massive defeat in the recent assembly polls, the Peoples Democratic Party held a review meeting in Srinagar on Thursday in which almost all senior party leaders, winning candidates and those who faced defeat, participated.

Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) president Mehbooba Mufti chairs a meeting with party senior leaders and contesting candidates to review the recent Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections in Jammu on Thursday. (ANI)

After the election set back, this was the first review meeting of the party and was chaired by party president Mehbooba Mufti. “It was our review and outreach meeting in which top party leaders participated,” said Pulwama assembly member and PDP youth leader Waheed ur Rehman Parra.

In 2014 assembly elections, PDP had bagged 28 seats and emerged as the single largest party. However, in 2024 the number came down to only three, which was the second setback for the party after its defeat in Lok Sabha polls.

In Thursday’s meeting, party president Mehbooba Mufti enquired about the party’s poor performance. “Our party was never in a winning position but we were hopeful of winning 9 to 10 seats. The results were against our expectations. Leaders gave their opinion about the poll debacle and the road map for the revival of the party.”

Zuhaib Yusuf who unsuccessfully contested assembly election from Srinagar Lal chowk constituency said the meeting was held to take stock of the situation as to why we lost. “It was also decided that the NC should be given full opportunity to work towards the cause of people that they promised during election campaign, be it development promises or getting back Article 370 , 35 A and the statehood,” he said adding that also it was decided to revamp the whole organisational structure of the PDP, the parent body and the youth body both down to the booth level.

The party won only two seats from its bastion south Kashmir, which is home to Mehbooba Mufti. Only in Pulwama the PDP candidate won with a good margin. PDP candidate Iltija Mufti also lost from Bijbehara, the seat from which PDP never lost since 2002. “We told the party it was a wave against BJP and instead of PDP people preferred to vote NC as they though NC was in a better position to defeat BJP. Since PDP is still a big party and political force, the leadership has asked leaders to work for the people and play role of vibrant opposition,” said one of the PDP leader who unsuccessfully contested assembly polls.