National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, also chief of the Gupkar alliance, on Tuesday said the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) remained “unharmed, perhaps stronger than ever before on account of poll outcome in its favour.”
Speaking at the party headquarters in Srinagar, Dr. Abdullah said there were days when “our detractors cried to the world that we don’t exist any more. But people have deflated their claims by supporting the PAGD wholeheartedly. The PAGD remains unharmed, perhaps stronger than ever before on account of poll outcome in its favour. The results of the polls reveal the out and out support of people to the PAGD,” he said.
The statement comes days after senior Gupkar alliance leaders, including NC’s Basharat Bukhari, Peoples Democratic Party’s Fayaz Mir, and Peoples Conference’s Imran Reza Ansari and Abdul Ghani Vakil accused the amalgam partners of fielding proxy candidates in the District Development Council (DDC) polls and hinted at the discontinuation of the alliance.
Meanwhile, Dr. Abdullah said the mood of the party cadre was buoyed after trouncing the anti-Kashmir forces in the recent DDC elections.
“Discipline and unity among the party cadre and functionaries were the reasons that people of Jammu and Kashmir have reposed their faith in us. Our party has seen many highs and lows, but with people on our side, we have been able to tide over all the difficulties. The region is passing through a difficult phase, thus making it imperative for the party cadre to close their ranks for meeting the challenges ahead,” Dr. Abdullah said.
He said the NC firmly believed in people to be the fountain head of power. “A strong NC was an answer to all the problems confronted by our people. The party has braved all challenges and will continue to do so with the active support of the people,” he added.
