'PAGD striving for Article 370 restoration within ambit of Constitution': Mehbooba Mufti

On Tuesday, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti asserted that the Gupkar alliance was striving for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status within the ambit of the Indian constitution. She was speaking at the felicitation ceremony of the victorious District Development Council election candidates. In the lead-up to the polls, Mufti had come under fire for saying that she won't raise the national flag until Article 370 is brought back.

Moreover, BJP stepped up the attack on the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration after NC president Farooq Abdullah reportedly sought China's help to restore Article 370. Seeking to address this criticism, Mufti clarified that her PDP's struggle was not against the people of India but the party and government that "humiliated" J&K by repealing its special status. Recalling the work done during her short-lived alliance government with BJP, the ex-CM said, "We formed the government. But we did not leave our agenda. If I had compromised on our principles, the government would not have collapsed." 

Read: DDC Polls: BJP Refutes Omar Abdullah's Allegations; Asserts 'We Will Win Next Time'

'Centre disrespecting the Constitution' 

On this occasion, Mufti also took a dig at the Centre over its handling of the farmers' stir against the agrarian laws. She contended that this legislation cannot be beneficial for the farmers as the latter have deep reservations. In a reference to both the passage of the farm bills and the abrogation of Article 370, the PDP supremo accused the Union government of "disrespecting the Constitution". 

Read: Omar Abdullah Demands Release Of NC Leaders; Slams J&K Govt For 'defections' To Apni Party

DDC polls

The DDC election was conducted in 8 phases between November 28 and December 19, with a voter turnout of 51.42%. It was the first big election held after the revocation of J&K's special status. The People's Alliance for Gupkar Alliance emerged as the single-largest coalition with 110 seats, BJP too made inroads in the Union Territory by becoming the single-largest party with 75 seats. The PAGD's constituents- NC, PDP, JKPC, CPI(M) and JKPM bagged 67, 27, 8, 5 and three seats respectively.

After winning 26 seats in the DDC election, Congress too has decided to support the opposition alliance. Meanwhile, the newly formed J&K Apni Party could bag only 12 seats. The DDC which will have a term of 5 years replaces the District Planning and Development Boards which were headed by a Cabinet Minister of the erstwhile state of J&K. 

Read: J&K L-G Manoj Sinha Decries Gupkar Leaders' Controversial Remarks; Weighs In On Art 370

(With PTI inputs)