'Gupkar alliance will continue to fight elections': Omar Abdullah responds to Amit Shah

On Tuesday, former Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah on his criticism of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. According to the NC vice president, Shah was "frustrated" as the latter expected the opposition alliance to boycott the District Development Council election. He stressed that BJP and J&K Apni Party could no longer get a free run in the Union Territory.

In a dig at Shah, Abdullah lamented that only leaders in J&K are detained and called "anti-national" for participating in the democratic process. Objecting to the former BJP president's usage of the term 'Gupkar Gang', the NC vice president clarified that the PAGD is a legitimate political alliance. Earlier, Shah accused the Congress party and the Gupkar alliance of taking back J&K to the "era of terror and turmoil". Maintaining that the Union Territory will remain an integral part of India, the Union Home Minister stated that Indians shall no longer tolerate an "unholy" alliance against the "national interest". 

Read: Amid Congress Infighting, Salman Khurshid Warns Critics 'there's No Short Cut To Power'

Read: RSP Slams Congress-Gupkar Alliance Ahead Of DDC Polls, Questions Its Stance On Article 370

Congress distances itself from the Gupkar alliance

The Gupkar Declaration was a resolution passed by NC, PDP, Congress, CPI(M), JKPC, and ANC on August 4, 2019, pledging to protect the "identity, autonomy and special status" of J&K. However, a presidential notification along with the passage of requisite legislation in both Houses of Parliament resulted in Article 370 becoming virtually redundant. On October 15, a meeting of all the Gupkar Declaration barring for Congress was held wherein a formal alliance- PAGD was announced. Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have been declared as the president and vice president of this coalition respectively.

However, confusion persisted as the Congress leadership at the Central and state level differed over their political stance in J&K. On November 15, J&K Congress president Ghulam Ahmad Mir put all speculation at rest by announcing that the PAGD constituents shall fight the DDC polls together to defeat those who have been "forcefully implementing" laws in the Union Territory. However, in a volte-face, Congress officially distanced itself from the Gupkar alliance while not ruling out a seat-sharing adjustment in J&K. The DDC election will be conducted in 8 phases between November 28 and December 19, with the counting of votes scheduled for December 22. 

Read: Cong, NC Should Explain If They Endorse Gupkar Resolution To Restore Article 370: Jitendra Singh