J-K: PDP releases manifesto; BJP accuses party of "inciting violence" in valley

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 24 : Lambasting the People's Democratic Party over its manifesto for the upcoming elections in the valley, Jammu-Kashmir BJP President Ravinder Raina on Saturday accused the PDP, along with the National Conference (NC) and Congress, of attempting to "incite violence" in the region.
PDP released its manifesto today, which mentions efforts to restore Articles 370 and 35A and diplomatic initiatives between India and Pakistan and ensure a dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley.
"The manifesto of the National Conference and PDP is aimed at inciting violence in Jammu and Kashmir. The National Conference, PDP, and Congress want the sounds of bombs, guns, bullets, and grenades to continue echoing in Jammu and Kashmir, and they have always played politics with this issue," Raina stated.
He further alleged that the opposition parties are uncomfortable with the peace that is gradually being restored in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Today, when Jammu and Kashmir is moving towards peace, perhaps the NC, Congress, and PDP are having a problem with it. One thing is clear: these parties don't have any agenda for the upliftment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Now that they are not in power, they remember bringing in the manifesto, and even in that, they remember Pakistan," Raina added.
BJP leader and former Deputy CM of Jammu and Kashmir Kavinder Gupta also criticised the Peoples Democratic Party's manifesto, calling it a "copy-paste" of the National Conference's (NC) manifesto.
Speaking to ANI, Gupta said they (NC and PDP) are traitors and they want to make Jammu and Kashmir hell again.

"This is a copy-paste of the National Conference manifesto. They are from the same group, they are traitors. Congress is also supporting them. We should think about all these issues that they want to make Jammu and Kashmir hell again," he said.
Gupta specifically opposed their promises to restore Articles 370 and 35A, release stone-pelters from jail, and initiate diplomatic talks with Pakistan.

"They want to release those people from jail who used to pelt stones... They are dependent on each other. Congress was wiped out; they are trying to save themselves," he added.

Gupta argued that these issues are outside their jurisdiction and that the parties are trying to deceive voters.

Meanwhile, after releasing the manifesto, Peoples Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti held a press conference and emphasised that her party will only consider alliances with parties that share their agenda for resolving the Kashmir issue.

"We will not do any alliance in which there is only talk of seat sharing. The alliance should be on agenda and our agenda is to solve the problem of Jammu and Kashmir, said the PDP chief.

Mufti highlighted that previous alliances, including one with the BJP, were based on a shared agenda, but expressed skepticism about the National Conference and Congress' current alliance, which she believes is focused solely on seat sharing.

"Alliance and seat sharing are faraway things. If the National Conference and Congress are ready to adopt our agenda, we will say they should contest on all seats, we will follow them because for me solving the problem of Kashmir is more important than anything else... When we allied earlier also, we had an agenda, when we allied with the BJP, we had an agenda which they agreed to but the alliance between the National Conference and Congress is not happening on the agenda, it is happening on seat sharing," said Mufti.

Notably, in the 2014 Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP won 28 votes, Bharatiya Janata Party won 25 votes, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference won 15 votes and the Congress won 12 votes.

The PDP and BJP formed a coalition Government led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. However, in 2018, the BJP withdrew its support from the alliance after Mehbooba Mufti took over following Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's demise.

The polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, as per the Election Commission of India. The counting of the votes will take place on October 4.

These are the first assembly elections to be held in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.