Jammu and Kashmir elections: CM to have no power, I won't contest, says Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said she won't contest the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections as an assembly in the Union Territory is extremely weak to implement any significant decisions.

Mufti said that if she won't be able to release a prisoner or revoke an FIR on her own, what use was being a chief minister in such a region.

"I have been a chief minister of a government with the BJP which revoked FIRs against 12,000 persons. Can we do that now? I, as the CM of a government with (PM) Modi, wrote a letter to separatists to invite them for talks. Can you do that today? I got a ceasefire (implemented) on ground. Can you do that today? If you cannot take back an FIR as CM, what does one do with such a post?" Mufti told reporters here.


After their release from a year-long detention in 2020 following abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, both Mufti and Omar Abdullah had claimed that they won't contest elections in a UT setup. However, the National Conference announced Abdullah as the party's candidate from Ganderbal constituency.

"Omar himself said that he will have to be at the door of the (lieutenant) governor for the transfer of a peon. I am not bothered about the transfer of the peon but can we implement our agenda?" Mufti asked.

On Congress-NC pre-poll alliance, Mufti said, "We have always fought the elections alone to alleviate the suffering of people. Our basic agenda is to give J&K peace with dignity and anybody can come and join us to pursue this agenda."

Mufti reminisced that the PDP entered into an alliance with Congress in 2002 with an agenda and released Syed Ali Shah Geelani.