SRINAGAR: Declaration of the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar (PAGD) President Farooq Abdullah filed a complaint with the Jammu and Kashmir State Elections Commissioner on Saturday that the candidates put forward by the seven-party conglomerate for the district development council elections ( DDC) cannot campaign.
Abdullah’s move came as the main political parties blamed the lack of level playing field for the elections, accusing the administration of locking up its candidates in various locations and not allowing them to campaign.
PPD Chairman Mehbooba Mufti also accused the Center of “sabotaging” the participation of political parties other than the BJP in DDC polls by not allowing them to campaign freely.
“The Government of India is sabotaging the participation of non-BJP parties in the DDC polls. Bashir Ahmed of the PDP, despite having adequate security, has been detained in Pahalgam on the pretext of security. Today is the last day to submit nominations and I have spoken with DC Anantnag for his release @manojsinha, ”the PDP chief tweeted.
CPM’s M Yousuf Tarigami, one of the PAGD members, wrote to LG Manoj Sinha on Friday, claiming that the candidates were staying away from their constituencies and grouping themselves in “clustered quarters.”
“The problem is already in my notice and the necessary instructions are transmitted to the interested parties. I am sure that the upcoming elections will greatly contribute to strengthening the institutions of the panchayati raj, ”Sinha said in his response.
In his letter to SEC KK Sharma, Abdullah said PAGD candidates they are “quickly taken to safe places in the name of security and confined there.”
“They are not allowed to vote, they are completely out of touch with those who are supposed to seek votes,” the letter said.
“These challenges are not new, but they have painfully persisted for the past three decades. But the government had structures that guaranteed the safety of all contenders regardless of the ideology they defended or the parties they represented. Our parties have been in power in the past and have had the opportunity to lead and direct the government. We are aware of the challenges posed in the field of security in a place beset by violence, “he added.
Police said the candidates were being provided collective security and were being placed in secure areas, as providing security for all candidates was difficult. Kashmir Police Inspector General Vijay Kumar said candidates are provided with a double escort and security forces are monitoring an area where they want to visit and campaign after leaving their safe accommodations.
Meanwhile, criticizing the NC and the PDP, the Union Minister of State for Finance and Elections, Anurag Thakur, said on Saturday that it is regrettable that political parties are delivering statements in support of Pakistan and China. He was addressing a series of meetings attended by senior BJP leaders at the party headquarters in Jammu.
The BJP has refuted the PAGD charges. In a statement, he said the allegations are a blatant lie and a deliberate misrepresentation of facts. He accused the alliance of preparing the ground to justify its impending defeat at the polls.
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