As poll buzz grows louder, Gupkar bonhomie under threat

Headed by National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, PAGD is an alliance of several mainstream political parties — including the NC, PDP, CPI(M) and Awami National Conference — formed to seek the reversal of the abrogation of J&K’s special status. The Congress is not part of the PAGD.

On Tuesday, NC leader and former legislator Shameema Firdous launched a tirade against the PDP, its president Mehbooba Mufti and founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

“Who disintegrated us? We were disintegrated by the PDP. We were disintegrated by those who talk about ‘Mufti sahib ka khawab (the dream of Mufti sahib)’,” Firdous said while addressing a public rally in north Kashmir’s Handwara. She was referring to the PDP’s coalition with the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir. “What was Mufti sahib’s dream? It was to sell Kashmir, it was to land Kashmir in the lap of India. And when Mehbooba ji became Chief Minister, what did she do? How many innocent boys and girls got martyred (when she was CM)?”

Firdous’s attack came days after NC president and former CM Omar Abdullah blamed the abrogation of J&K’s special status on Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s “one mistake”.

“I had cautioned him that the path chosen by him (forging an alliance with the BJP after the 2014 Assembly election) would be very dangerous for J&K and we may not survive this decision of yours,” Omar said, addressing a public rally in Chenab valley. “He (Sayeed) might have had some compulsion at that time… We do not know for how long we will be punished for that one wrong decision… If the NC had come to power, there would have been no revocation of Article 370 and 35-A…”

A senior leader of PDP, who didn’t want to be named, said the NC attacks need to be seen in the context of elections.

“There is talk that elections could take place as early as next month. So the NC has got into election mode. After all, in the Valley, we are political rivals. That is why we see such statements coming from them. We have time and again been saying that it is not the time to think about electoral gains. Our fight this time is much bigger,” the PDP leader said.

Others, including PAGD spokesperson and CPM leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, said the public sparring could dent the alliance and help the BJP.

“It (the recent statements) will have an impact and that’s why I am saying it should be avoided,” PAGD spokesperson M Y Tarigami told The Indian Express. “As of today, I don’t think there is any need to go into the past. I don’t think there is an atmosphere or compulsion for doing that”.

While PDP leaders haven’t taken the bait yet, with Mufti even attempting to douse the flames – on Friday, she directed party leaders “not to react to statements that are detrimental to the unity” of the alliance – there are murmurs within the party on the NC’s recent statements and whether it should continue to be part of an alliance headed by NC leader Farooq Abdullah.

“We joined the alliance because we thought that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are facing existential issues that are much more important than electoral politics. We continue to believe that,” said a party leader. “But given the attitude of the NC, we sometimes think if we should continue with this alliance when the other partner is not sincere.”

Tarigami, however, welcomed Mufti’s statement and insisted that the alliance should stay focused on the task at hand. “We will continue to sort out whatever little bickering we have here and there. I am hopeful it will not impact the overall functioning of the alliance. This is not the time for infighting. The present should haunt us. There is a huge agenda for us to follow and it should be the matter of concern not only for leaders but the cadres also,” he said.