Mehbooba Mufti Declines to Contest Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections
Mehbooba Mufti Declines to Contest Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections
Srinagar, August 28, 2024 - Mehbooba Mufti, the president of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announced on Wednesday that she will not contest the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The former Chief Minister cited her inability to advance her party’s agenda under the current political circumstances as the primary reason for her decision.
In a candid address, Mufti reflected on her previous tenure as Chief Minister, during which the PDP formed a coalition government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Highlighting the stark contrast between the political climate then and now, she said, “I have been Chief Minister of a government with the BJP which revoked FIRs against 12,000 persons in 2016. Can we do that now?”
Mufti expressed frustration over the limited autonomy and authority currently available to the leadership in Jammu and Kashmir, especially under the Union Territory’s administration. She emphasized that the measures she took as Chief Minister, such as reaching out to separatists and securing a ceasefire, would be nearly impossible to replicate today. “I, as the Chief Minister of a government with (PM) Modi, wrote a letter to separatists to invite them for talks. Can you do that today? I got a ceasefire implemented on the ground. Can you do that today?” she questioned.
Her remarks underscore the challenges faced by political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 and the region’s reorganization into a Union Territory. Mufti’s decision not to run is likely to impact the PDP’s strategy in the upcoming elections, as her leadership has been a central force in the party’s direction and policies.