Centre not keen on holding elections in J&K, says Mufti

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti reiterated on Monday that the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) is intact and that the decision of August 5, 2019, is not acceptable as it ended the accession of J&K with the Union of India.

She blamed the BJP for passing the J&K Reorganisation Bill in Parliament on August 5 and 6 in 2019. The People’s Democratic Party president said the central government, which is now directly ruling J&K, is not in the mood to conduct elections anytime soon, as it wants to continue its direct rule. Mufti, who is also vice president of PAGD – a grouping of regional parties, led by National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, formed last year to strive for restoration of special status and statehood of J&K – said the youth should stay away from gun culture and fight with democratic means.