CPI(M) to skip J&K LS polls

Srinagar, Apr 2: CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami on Tuesday said that his party would not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha (LS)  elections in Jammu and Kashmir saying that the need to consolidate votes against the BJP, which he accused of resorting to dictatorship.

Tarigami called for other political parties to unite to defeat the BJP, stating that the party has caused significant damage to Jammu and Kashmir. Regarding the reported bickering within the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) over seat sharing for the polls, Tarigami downplayed it, saying that the alliance is not solely an electoral one and that each constituent has its own political interests.

Tarigami slammed the reported coming together of the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Progressive Azad Party, Altaf Bukhari’s Apni Party, and Peoples Conference led by Sajjad Lone, questioning their loyalty to the people of Kashmir. He said that the need for a united fight for the rights of the people, such as statehood and land rights.

He expressed disappointment over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and said that the restlessness among  people due to claims from both Pakistan and India. He accused the BJP for downgrading Jammu and Kashmir to a Union territory and eroding its constitutional rights.

Tarigami also blasted the BJP's governance, accusing them of resorting to dictatorship and suppressing dissent. He questioned the government's actions, such as the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand chief Hemant Soren in corruption cases, and labeled electoral bonds as a "big scam."

Regarding Home Minister Amit Shah's statement about considering revoking the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir, Tarigami dismissed it as another false promise, accusing the government's reliance on "jumlas" (false promises). He called for an end to draconian laws in Kashmir and emphasized the need for democratic principles to be upheld.