LS POLLS-2024 | People’s support for PDP unnerved Apni Party: Mehbooba

Kulgam, Apr 28: Peoples Democratic Party President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Sunday hit back at Apni Party leader Altaf Bukhari for seeking the deferment of elections on the Anantnag-Rajouri seat.

Talking to reporters in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, she said that they were unnerved by the support that PDP is receiving from the people.

“The sight of a sea of people participating in our rallies has unsettled them, and now they are seeking the deferment of elections so that they can buy time to intimidate people,” Mufti said. “Does it mean there won’t be elections if the weather continues to remain erratic for a month?”

She said that these were mere excuses to buy time to spend the wealth they had amassed.

“I would like to request the ECI to ensure that the faith of people of J&K in the electoral process should not be harmed for any individual or party,” she said.

Earlier, addressing a poll rally, Mufti blamed the National Conference (NC) for breaking the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD).

“Omar Sahab in a news conference said, ‘PDP is finished. Why should we ally with them,’” she said.

Mufti said that if they had invited her and conveyed their decision to PDP, she would have left all three seats to them. “But they did not inform us. Instead, they disrespected a party that was founded by Mufti (Muhammad Sayeed) Sahab and my workers, who poured their blood into it,” she said.

Mufti said that the PDP was the party that lives in the hearts of people and could not be finished.

She said that her party revoked POTA and disbanded Ikhwan besides setting up colleges and universities and constructing roads.

Mufti said that people registered their displeasure in the 2019 elections, but she continued to speak up for them.

“For this, I paid a heavy price. My family members including my mother and brother were summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Our passports were seized. They even ordered an audit on my father's mausoleum,” she said. Mufti appealed to the people to vote in favour of PDP candidates.