Will highlight attacks on dignity of J&K’s people, says Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar, April 17 (IANS) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said she will highlight “attacks on the dignity of people” in her election campaign.

Campaigning in Kulgam district which is part of the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat from where she has announced to fight the election, she said: “I don’t believe in playing the blame game. We are passing through very difficult times. Our resources, our land and our dignity are being attacked every day. I think we should talk about it. I don’t want to go into what former J&K Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah or someone else has said.”

She noted that she had attended the INDIA bloc meeting in Mumbai where the National Conference President, Dr Farooq Abdullah, was also present and she told him that whatever he decides on seat sharing, they will accept it as he is their elder.

“The NC later said that the PDP is finished. Is the PDP finished? Even if Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah had to field NC candidates only, they should have given me a call and told me that it is in the interest of J&K as the NC can put forth the point of view better than the PDP. But, they started showing us down by claiming that the PDP was a spent force,” Mehbooba Mufti said.

“There is no doubt that many of our party leaders were taken away, but I salute my party workers who are still standing with us,” she added.

Mahbooba Mufti is pitched against senior Gujjar/Bakarwal leader, Mian Altaf Ahmad of the NC, former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), and Zafar Iqbal Manhas of the Apni Party.

The BJP has not announced any candidate for this constituency so far nor its support for any of the contesting candidates.