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J&K all-party meet: Most Valley leaders to take call on PM’s invite today
The political affairs committee — the highest decision-making body of the PDP — on Sunday authorised Mehbooba Mufti to take a call on the Centre’s invite
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah will separately take a call for their parties on the invitation of the Centre to mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir for talks, senior leaders of both the parties said on Sunday.
The political affairs committee (PAC) — the highest decision-making body of the PDP — on Sunday authorised Mehbooba Mufti to take a call on the Centre’s invite.
The decision was taken after a two-hour-long meeting of the PAC chaired by Mehbooba at her ‘Fairview’ residence in Gupkar area of the city here. The meeting was called to take a call on the party’s participation in the meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 24. “The PAC unanimously authorised the party president to take a final decision on the matter,” PDP chief spokesperson Syed Suhail Bukhari told the media after the meeting.
PAGD to adopt joint strategy
Meanwhile, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has called for a meeting on Tuesday to discuss a joint strategy about the invitation.
“PAGD leaders are to meet on June 22, 11am, at the residence of Farooq Abdullah. All constituents have been called to discuss the Centre’s invitation. The PAGD will adopt a joint strategy after this meeting,” said alliance spokesman Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, who is also the CPI (M) general secretary.
National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah will discuss with his senior colleagues and a decision to attend an all-party meeting of J&K’s leaders in New Delhi next week will be declared by Monday, said Nasir Aslam Wani, a leader of the NC on Sunday.
“NC president Farooq Abdullah will discuss this with his senior colleagues. I think discussions will be complete by tomorrow. I think we will be able to tell you more by tomorrow afternoon,” he said.
Party spokesman Imran Nabi Dar said, “The party president is consulting leaders individually on the issue. Then a meeting of PAGD is expected within a day or two and decision will be taken thereafter.”
However, NC’s Baramulla MP Mohammad Akbar Lone told reporters that the party will participate in the Centre’s meeting. “We will talk about all the issues, including Articles 370, 35-A and statehood. Everything will be fine. It’s good that the BJP-led Centre has realised that talks should be held,” he said.
Other leaderships also huddling
Apni Party will be meeting on Monday to form an agenda for the Centre meeting which will be attended by party president Altaf Bukhari. People’s Conference chairman Sajjad Lone will also discuss the issue on Monday. “We are meeting tomorrow to discuss the issue,” said Adnan Ashraf, Peoples Conference spokesman.
Invitations were sent out to 14 political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, including four former chief ministers, for participation in a high-level meeting to be chaired by the prime minister, which is expected to set the road map for holding assembly elections in the UT.
