Srinagar: Speculation about differences in the three-month old People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has deepened since members of two constituent parties — the National Conference and the CPI(M) — met Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha last week.
The PAGD is a coalition of seven parties — whose members include the NC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Peoples Conference (PC), and the CPI(M), among others — that aim to get the special status of Jammu & Kashmir restored.
The meeting last week was the first such interaction of Kashmiri leaders with the administrator since the invalidation of Article 370 on 5 August 2019.
Speaking to ThePrint, two alliance insiders said the meeting undermined the message the parties have been seeking to send the central government — that they don’t recognise any of the changes brought in the erstwhile state since 5 August 2019.
The insiders also alleged that the NC, which contested and won more seats than other PAGD partners in the J&K District Development Council (DDC) elections late last year, is trying to show Delhi that it is the “sole representative of Kashmir”.
The resentment over the meeting follows grumbles within the PAGD over certain candidates defying the seat-sharing agreement to contest against coalition nominees in the DDC polls. The absence of any disciplinary action against these candidates, the insiders said, has not gone down well with PAGD members.
The NC and the CPI(M) have denied the allegations levelled at them with reference to the interaction, noting that the meeting with the L-G was meant to flag certain concerns about the Srinagar encounter last month and alleged horse-trading in the aftermath of the DDC elections.
They said the question of recognising the post-5-August scheme of affairs doesn’t arise.
The PDP refused to comment on the meeting but sought to portray reports of differences as nothing but growth pangs for the alliance. In a tweet Monday, PDP chief and former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti claimed the PAGD stands united.
Amidst all the unnecessary speculation about PAGD, Id like make a few things absolutely clear. The purpose of this grand alliance is not for petty electoral gains. It exists for a much larger cause & purpose i.e to restore J&Ks special status.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 11, 2021
Also Read: Gupkar Alliance wins big in J&K DDC polls but BJP is single-largest party
Sending a message
Political parties in the Valley boycotted the swearing-in ceremonies of Sinha as well as that of his predecessor, Girish Chandra Murmu, in October 2019.
In November 2019, the PDP even expelled its Rajya Sabha MP Nazir Ahmed Laway for attending Murmu’s swearing-in ceremony. So, the 6 January meeting of the NC-CPI(M) delegation with the L-G raised eyebrows.
The delegation included Devender Singh Rana, a close aide of former chief minister Omar Abdullah, former ministers Surjit Singh Slathia, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra and Mushtaq Bukhari, former MLAs Javed Rana and T.S. Wazir, and senior CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami.
The meeting, it is learnt, added to the resentment brewing over the violation of the DDC polls seat-sharing agreement.
For instance, Safeena Baig of the PDP stood as a candidate in Wagoora and defeated the PAGD candidate, an NC member. Similarly, a CPI(M) candidate defeated an NC leader who contested as PAGD candidate from Behbagh constituency. The PDP also defeated the Congress and the NC — both contesting on PAGD tickets — to win their two seats in Kulgam, while the NC fought and won against a PDP candidate in Qaimoh.
Last week, four senior leaders from three parties — the NC, the PC, and the PDP — questioned the alliance leadership over its lack of action against the party leaders responsible. Adding to the heartburn are defections by some members of PAGD constituents who won in the DDC elections, which has led to allegations of horse-trading.
This explains why our leaders in Shopian district are being put under “preventive arrest” by the police. J&K police & the administration are facilitating horse trading & defections. The woman shown here joining the BJP’s B-team contested & won elections on a NC mandate. pic.twitter.com/JRTKNCEiCc
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) December 25, 2020
According to one alliance insider, whenever the PAGD holds its next meeting, which is yet to be scheduled, the coalition will face a “make-or-break situation” as, over the past two months, fissures have grown among its its second- and third-rung leaders over the issue of seat-sharing.
“It is no secret that there were differences between regional parties during the seat-sharing talks. An uncomfortable arrangement was reached but we saw that, at many places, alliance partners fought against each other,” the source said.
“One would hope that the violation of the arrangement would be followed up by disciplinary action or at least some form of reconciliation talks. None of the two happened,” the insider added.
“Instead, some alliance leaders went ahead and met with the L-G. This was without consultation with other alliance partners. Many believe the meeting was a sign of some leaders’ willingness to normalise the 5 August move.”
The NC, the source said, “has been trying to undermine other regional parties and show Delhi that it is the sole representative of Kashmir”.
As a result of the “NC’s manoeuvring”, added a second alliance insider, the coalition has failed to provide a road map to achieve its only goal — restoration of J&K’s special status — despite performing well in the DDC polls.
“The power games have halted the prospects of any joint strategy coming to the fore,” the source said.
“We have come together for the restoration of Article 370, but there has been no discussion on a road map. Simply demanding Article 370 is not enough. There has to be a white paper on how to achieve the goal,” the source added.
Not only has the alliance held just one “inconclusive” meeting since the DDC polls were announced, plans to form a committee to oversee the election of DDC chairpersons have not fructified either, the source said.
The 278 elected DDC members (results remain pending for two seats), of which 110 belong to the PAGD, are supposed to elect a chairperson in each of the 20 districts of J&K.
“Only one meeting was held after the DDC poll results, where the future road map was not discussed. It was inconclusive. Then there were talks to form committees to elect the DDC chairperson. That has not happened as well despite independents, who won 50 of 280 seats, being poached,” the source added.
“Winners who fought polls on NC and PDP party symbols are being forced to join other political groups. The PAGD is not doing anything.”
Also Read: Fissures continue to deepen in Gupkar alliance as parties differ on district council polls
‘Small issues will crop up’
The NC and the CPI(M) have denied the allegations being levelled about their meeting with the L-G. They have also said that it is not a factor of disturbance within the alliance.
“I met the L-G to raise the issue of the Srinagar encounter in which families of the deceased have accused the security forces of staging the gunfight. Similarly, the issue of poaching and horse-trading was brought up by the NC leaders,” said Tarigami.
“I don’t think it is the issue that is causing contention within the PAGD. Mehbooba Mufti ji addressed the L-G in a letter and Mr Hasnain Masoodi (of the NC), too, has called upon Mr Sinha in the past,” he added. “The issue, I believe, is about the violation of the seat-sharing arrangement. The unity that we expected did not reflect on the ground but we need to draw lessons and move forward.”
NC leader and Anantnag MP Justice Hasnain Masoodi (Retd) said the party delegation met with the L-G to bring up the issue of horse-trading after the DDC elections.
“Some political groups are hell-bent on shredding all democratic values and this is what we wanted to discuss with Mr Sinha. It is in no way a sign of letting up or to legitimise the abrogation of Article 370,” he added.
Masoodi said the question of legitimising the L-G does not arise as regional parties have consistently maintained that the 5 August 2019 move and subsequent changes are illegal and unconstitutional.
However, he added, given that L-G Sinha’s office oversees law and order and election affairs, he was the “appropriate person” to whom apprehensions of people and political parties can be conveyed.
“This doesn’t mean we have begun engaging with the L-G’s office. Issues of horse-trading and the Srinagar encounter were discussed,” he said.
Reached for comment, leaders of the PDP and the PC refused to address the issue of the meeting.
However, senior PDP leader Nizamudin Bhat told ThePrint that the “alliance is in its infancy stage and small issues, some genuine, others not as much, will crop up from time to time”.
“But anyone who believes in the cause, is committed, and does not allow personal interest to take over, will ensure the alliance is consolidated,” he added.
Peoples Conference leader Imran Ansari, in a letter to party chief Sajad Lone last week, had questioned the interaction, asking him why he was prohibited from meeting the L-G while the NC delegation met with Sinha.
The statements made by various leaders of the alliance, including Ansari, have led to speculation about the creation of a new party.
However, Ansari said, “I have been with the Peoples Conference and will remain with the Peoples Conference. As for my letter to Mr Sajad Lone, I believe my party chief is the best person to respond now. All that I have to say, I have written in my letter,” he said.
Lone did not respond to ThePrint’s calls and messages for a comment.
Seeking to play down the differences within the PAGD vis-a-vis the DDC polls, Masoodi said the “alliance was not formed for an election”.
“The DDC is not an endgame. The DDC elections were thrust on us and the BJP made it a referendum on the abrogation of Article 370 by saying that the special status of J&K is buried now,” he added.
“People responded to them befittingly. But this whole policy of forcing an election on us and then creating hurdles by lodging cases against leaders, detaining candidates, stopping them from campaigning, resulted in chaos. Naturally, some issues cropped up. These are, however, not big issues,” Masoodi said. “The PAGD as well as the NC remain committed to the cause.”
Kashmir-based political expert Prof. Noor Ahmad Baba said the alliance looks unlikely to collapse now as the partners cannot survive on their own in the current circumstances.
“Regional leaders faced an unprecedented situation after August 2019 and that situation has not mellowed down. Everyone in the alliance has their own personal interests or compulsions but, individually, they cannot survive the onslaught on their own,” he added. “There might be some exceptions who will leave but, by and large, I think the alliance will stay together, at least for the time being.”
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