Gupkar alliance to contest elections in J&K together: Abdullah & Mehbooba Mufti concur

Speaking to the media on Monday, both NC president Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti asserted that the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) constituents will contest the J&K elections together. Abdullah opined, "I am foreseeing good times for J&K ahead. God will take us out of these difficulties. Our path should be correct. Democracy will continue. We will protect the Constitution on which we have taken the oath. If they can conduct elections during floods, why can't do it now? PAGD will fight the elections together". 

Taking a swipe at Sajad Lone's JKPC, he added, "I am glad that this party left the alliance. It was never a part of this alliance, to begin with. Its intention was not right. They wanted to divide us from within". Meanwhile, Mufti was quoted as saying by PTI, "We intend to contest the elections together as it is the will of the people that we should strive together for the restoration of our lost dignity". 

Article 370 abrogation & PAGD formation

A Presidential notification combined with requisite legislation passed by both the House of Parliament in August 2019 led to Article 370 becoming virtually redundant. This implied that the special status of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was scrapped. Furthermore, the region was bifurcated into the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh. Thereafter, restrictions on the movement of people and communication were imposed in the state, which were gradually lifted over the months.

After leaders such as former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were released post months of detention, 6 political parties joined hands to form the PAGD in August 2020. The principal aim of this alliance is to strive for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A and statehood. Subsequently, PAGD emerged as the single-largest party in the first-ever District Development Council polls in J&K by bagging 110 seats. 

Meanwhile, the two-year-long delimitation process in J&K came to an end in May which has given rise to the possibility of Assembly elections being held this year. In accordance with the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the strength of the J&K Assembly increased from 83 to 90, with Jammu getting six new seats while Kashmir, which has traditionally garnered the lion's share of seats, bagged only one extra seat. Thus, Jammu and Kashmir will have 43 and 47 seats respectively. On the other hand, 9 and 7 seats have been reserved for STs and SCs respectively.