Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 17: Predicting that the ruling National Conference and its alliance partner Congress would be completed routed out in the ongoing Assembly elections, former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today claimed that People’s Democratic Party was all set to form next Government in Jammu and Kashmir on its own while BJP would emerge as second largest party.
“People of Jammu Kashmir, particularly youth, have become politically matured enough and are going to teach National Conference as well as Congress a lesson for their six-year misrule,” he said while addressing largely attended public meetings in support of the party candidates at Nowshera, Rajouri and Kotranka today. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also accompanied Mufti Sayeed and addressed the public meetings.
Charging the NC-Congress coalition with plundering developmental funds, the PDP patron alleged that the ruling alliance partners did not spare even the relief provided by the Central Government and NGOs for flood affected people in the State. “Central Government, NDRF, Defence Forces and a number of NGOs came forward timely extending helping hands to the flood victims but the State Government did nothing except pilfering the relief material,” he alleged.
Mufti said people in J&K have suffered immensely during the past six years of anarchist rule under NC-Congress coalition and they yearn for a Government which would not only pull the State out of the morass, but also put it back on rails of peace, progress and development. “It is because of the follies of NC-Congress coalition Government that people in every nook and corner of the State have rejected both these parties. “It is now for the people of Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts to give a final push to this movement for change,” he said and predicted an absolute majority to PDP for forming a stable Government in the State and emergence of BJP as second largest party.
“Both NC and Congress will be completely routed in the Assembly polls and this is evident from running away of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from his family’s traditional seat Ganderbal,” Mufti said.
Listing his priorities for developmental works after the PDP comes to power, Mufti Sayeed also reasserted his resolve to strengthen the inclusive and pluralistic character of Jammu and Kashmir. He sought to clear doubts over Article 370 and said that the special clause in Indian Constitution can not be revoked by the Centre but only the State Assembly.
PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti also addressed the public meetings and claimed that the party has emerged as the first choice of the people in all the regions and sub-regions of the State. She said that PDP will not only deliver on its promise of good and effective governance, but is committed to bridge the gap between different regions and sub-regions of the State. “During its brief tenure in Government between 2002 and 2005, PDP had proved how to treat all regions and sub-regions equally and party would further facilitate the process of bridging the gap to ensure justice and equality to all regions and sub-regions”, she said and added that it was during the tenure of the PDP Government that people of Rajouri and Poonch were liberated from the seize which they had been facing after the partition of the country.
Mehbooba said not only Poonch-Rajouri districts were provided good connectivity with Kashmir through Mughal Road, but the opening of Poonch-Rawalakote road also facilitated better movement of people and goods in the area to boost its economy.
She said opening of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri with an engineering college is a significant experiment which can be emulated in other parts of the country on how to effectively use the Wakaf assets.
Enumerating the measures to be taken for the further development of the area, Mehbooba said if PDP gets the mandate to form the next Government, the party would work towards employment generation through expansion of economic activity in the area. She said besides making Tourism Development Authorities for Poonch and Rajouri functional another Tourism Development Authority would be created for the Mughal Road.
She said PDP is also committed to ensure railway connectivity to the area besides setting up of IT Parks and livestock faculty. She said various other measures are in the pipeline which would give a fillip to the local economy and help generate huge employment.
PDP leader Basharat Bukhari and the party candidate for Rajouri, Advocate Qamar, for Darhal, Choudhary Zulfikar and for Nowshehra Assembly segment, Surinder Choudhary, also addressed the rallies.
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