Mehbooba Mufti files papers: ‘2020 deadline to India if J&K accession conditions removed’

She earlier stated at a workers’ meet that if the guarantees provided for J&K under the Constitution are removed, it will “force us to reconsider, whether we would like to continue with you (India) or not”.

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Responding to BJP president Amit Shah’s remark at a rally in Sunderbani that the BJP withdrew support to the coalition government in J&K over “pressure to dilute AFSPA”, she tweeted: “@AmitShah’s admission validates my unstinting resolve as CM to implement Agenda of Alliance. My refusal to budge on key issues such as AFSPA to unilateral ceasefire made the BJP run for cover. Raking it up now is a pathetic attempt to fool the masses & polarise the situation.”

READ | J&K’s relation with India will end if terms and conditions of its accession altered: Mehbooba Mufti

The Anantnag seat will go to polls in three phases — Anantnag and Kulgam districts in phase three and four; and Shopian and Pulwama districts in phase five.

Mehbooba is contesting against state Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir, who also filed his nomination on Wednesday. Mir told reporters, “We have never misled the people and we are expecting their support.” National Conference candidate and former J&K High Court judge, Justice Hasnain Masoodi, also filed nomination from the seat on Wednesday.