PAGD not for petty electoral gains but for restoration of J&K’s special status, reiterates Mufti

In a series of tweets, Mehbooba Mufti said the PAGD has rattled Delhi and linked to it speculation regarding the future of PAGD, which swept the DDC polls in the Kashmir Valley last month

Former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has reiterated that the six-party People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) was not formed in October for petty electoral gains but for the restoration of Jammu & Kashmir’s special status.

PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti. (File photo)

In a series of tweets, Mufti on Monday said the PAGD has rattled Delhi and there was speculation regarding the future of PAGD, which swept the District Development Councils polls in the Kashmir Valley last month. The polls were the first major electoral exercise in the region after it was stripped of its special semi-autonomous status under Constitution’s Article 370, which was nullified in 2019.

“Amidst all the unnecessary speculation about PAGD, Id like make a few things absolutely clear. The purpose of this grand alliance [PAGD] is not for petty electoral gains. It exists for a much larger cause & purpose i.e to restore J&Ks special status,” tweeted Mufti, who heads the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

“A lot of baseless theories are being deliberately floated to discredit PAGD amongst masses since they overwhelmingly voted for us in the DDC elections. Regardless of who fought how many seats, our purpose to deny BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] & its proxies democratic space has been achieved.”

Mufti’s tweets came after two leaders of PAGD constituent People’s Conference and PDP leader Fiyaz Ahmad Mir questioned National Conference, which leads the grouping, for allegedly fielding proxy candidates in DDC polls.