Lok Sabha 2024: Seat-sharing dispute exposes frustrations within opposition bloc in Kashmir

Dissensus on the seat sharing arrangement on three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir between the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party has exposed the mutual frustrations within the two members of the opposition INDIA bloc in Jammu and Kashmir.

As both the parties claim to be disheartened with each other, the statements given by their leaders–Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti–has also informally announced the ‘end’ of the regional coalition of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Deceleration, the two had cofounded in October 2020, to strive for the restoration of statehood and special status of J&K.

Even though the NC spokespersons have claimed that PAGD was never an ‘electoral alliance’ and was formed for ‘bigger causes’ their counterparts in the PDP accuse them of ‘splitting the unity to help the BJP.’ Now leaders from both the parties claim that they are being ‘pushed in the direction they don't want to go.’


Earlier, while welcoming a politician from northern Kashmir into the party fold, the NC vice president and former chief minister of J&K Omar Abdullah said, “I have already told you that the party (PDP) that stood on number 3 in the last parliament elections has no right to ask for a seat. How many people are there with PDP today who brought them to the third place? If I had been told before joining the INDIA alliance that we would have to weaken ourselves for another member of the alliance, then I would have never joined the INDIA alliance,” said Abdullah. The NC leader said that NC has joined the INDIA bloc primarily to fight against the BJP and NDA. “The NC has finalised its candidates for all three seats in Kashmir and will announce the names soon,” he said. The PDP was pitching to field it's party chief Mufti from Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency as the INDIA bloc candidate.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won two seats in Jammu division, NC had won all three seats in Valley, while one seat in Ladakh went to the BJP. The PDP contested all six but lost all. Former chief minister Mufti in reaction to Abdullah’s remarks said that her party wanted ‘PAGD’ to continue but everyone now knows who ‘ended’ this alliance.

“We will talk to Congress as we are in the INDIA alliance and see how to go forward. PAGD was a democratic and unique alliance but the way it has been dispersed is very disappointing,” said Mufti. The PDP chief further said that, “J&K is a laboratory for whatever is happening in the country that is facing a big challenge and hence we should have made a collective effort.” The PDP chief further said, “we made a lot of efforts but he (Omar Abdullah) declared that they will contest on all three seats without any consultation from us.”

On the sidelines, the J&K People’s Conference led by Sajad Lone, who parted ways with the PAGD much earlier had his ‘I told you so moment.’ “Very humbly may I state that I stand vindicated,” Lone wrote on X.

The J&K Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari, who was celebrating the fourth foundation day of his party on March 8 also took a dig at PAGD members, accusing them of betraying the people of J&K once again.

“History bears witness to the fact that they are deceivers. Today they didn’t even hold a funeral PAGD. The group did not last even for five years, leave alone their aim of bringing back Article 370 and 35 A,” said Bukhari. The PAGD members would often target and label People’s Conference and Apni Party as ‘B’ teams of BJP.

The BJP is keenly following the political developments within the Kashmir Valley and will accordingly field their candidates. “We are waiting for what the NC and PDP will decide. Ideally they should not form a coalition, that will increase our chances on Anantnag-Rajouri parliament seat, especially if we get a good muslim candidate,” a senior BJP leader told ET.