Gupkar Alliance finalises seat-sharing pact for 2nd phase of DDC polls

Farooq Abdullah leads the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. File (Source: PTI)

The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration on Sunday finalised its seat-sharing formula for the second phase of the District Development Council polls, allocating eight seats each out of total 27 to the National Conference and the PDP.

The seat-sharing list was released by the alliance spokesperson and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC) chairman Sajad Gani Lone.

The list was approved by PAGD chairman and NC president Farooq Abdullah at a meeting of the alliance partners at his residence on Sunday morning.

The last date for filing the nominations for the second phase of the polls is Monday, while the polling would take place on December 1.

According to the PAGD’s seat-sharing pact, Lone’s J&KPC will contest from five seats.

The Congress will field its candidates on three seats, while Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement will fight for two seats.

Awami National Conference (ANC), led by Abdullah’s estranged sister Begum Khalida Shah, has been allotted one seat to contest.

A difference, however, continued to persist between CPI(M) and PDP over ‘Pombay’ seat in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, which was represented in the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir’s State assembly during its last few terms by CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami.

While the alliance has allocated the seat to the PDP, the CPI(M) is adamant to field its candidate from there.

You can check the ratio of votes when I won against the PDP candidate in 2014 assembly polls or when I supported the NC candidate in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. There should be some justification (for the PDP getting the seat). We will contest this seat. This has already been decided, Mr. Tarigami told PTI.

The CPI-M’s decision to field its candidate will not have a bearing on the alliance, he insisted.

We are for the alliance and will remain on the side of the people. We are part of the alliance to defend the rights of the people of J&K, he said.

Elections or no elections, on our part, we are for the alliance and we have been arguing more vigorously for it, Tarigami said, adding if they deny us even a small seat, I think it is not just.