With the National Conference (NC) categorically rejecting any seat-sharing with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kashmir, PDP leader and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said it was a major setback for the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD). Mufti said her party would take a decision on fielding candidates after consulting with the Congress and the INDIA bloc. “For us, unity is more important than Parliament seats. It was time to resist the onslaught on our identity," Mufti said at a hurriedly called press conference. “If Farooq (Abdullah) sahib had discussed it with us and said that his workers aren't ready, or his legislators are not ready (for seat sharing) in the interest of people, we would have sacrificed not one but three seats. If they would have taken a decision after talking to us, at least the PAGD wouldn't have fallen apart like this.” Mufti said NC president Farooq Abdullah used to discuss with them even small issues but he didn't consult them for any talks about seat sharing. “Farooq sahib suggested that we should meet the Prime Minister and we did. It was NC that suggested we should jointly contest the DDC (District Development Council) elections, and we did,” she said. "But Farooq sahib didn't discuss it (seat-sharing) with us even once.” “You know, I am a fighter,” Mufti said, hinting that her party would field candidates against NC. “We will take a final decision only after consulting the Congress,” she added. Earlier, NC vice-president Omar Abdullah said that if he was told in advance that he will have to “weaken his party for some other party”, he would not have been part of the INDIA bloc, and ruled out any seat sharing with the PDP. “I have said it earlier also that those who came in third place, what right do they have to seek a seat?” Omar asked, referring to the PDP’s demand that the South Kashmir seat should be left for Mufti. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, PDP lost all the three seats to NC in the Valley. PDP president Mufti, who contested from South Kashmir, stood third behind NC's winning candidate Hasnain Masoodi and Congress's Ghulam Ahmad Mir. Omar said the objective of the India alliance was to fight the BJP and the NDA. “If the objective was to fight against the BJP, then what is the scope for this internal tensions? There is no scope for any discussion (on seat sharing),” he said. “If I was told before joining the INDIA alliance that we will have to weaken our party for some other party, I wouldn't have joined the alliance,” he added. As part of the INDIA alliance, the PDP was ready to leave two Valley seats – Baramulla and Srinagar – for the NC while seeking the South Kashmir seat. Alliance partner, Congress, had walked out of the fray and was okay with the 2:1 seat-sharing formula. The Congress had even offered the NC the Ladakh seat. The NC, however, insisted on contesting all three Valley seats, and has previously announced it unilaterally.
