Mehbooba Mufti Not to Contest J&K Polls, Cites Inability to Fulfill Agenda

Srinagar: PDP President Mehbooba Mufti announced on Wednesday that she will not contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Citing her inability to advance her party’s agenda under the current political environment, Mufti questioned the relevance of the chief minister’s role in the union territory today.

Mufti reflected on her tenure as chief minister, noting that she had previously succeeded in getting FIRs against 12,000 individuals revoked in 2016, implemented a ceasefire and invited separatists for talks. “Can such actions be taken today?” she asked, pointing to the limitations imposed by the current political scenario.

Responding to a question about her stance on contesting elections, especially after National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah’s decision to participate, Mufti dismissed the notion of reconsidering. She said that her concern is not administrative tasks like the transfer of government employees, but rather the implementation of her party’s broader agenda.

Mufti also criticised the alliance between the National Conference and Congress, stating that their collaborations have historically been driven by the pursuit of power, unlike PDP’s alliances, which were based on specific agendas, such as the protection of Article 370 and the revocation of AFSPA.

She welcomed the potential release of Sheikh Abdul Rashid and Shabir Ahmad Shah ahead of the polls, urging the government to extend this consideration to other detainees entitled to bail. “Democracy is a battle of ideas,” she said, advocating for the release of political prisoners to foster reconciliation in the region.

The PDP president reiterated that her party is committed to addressing the core issues of Jammu and Kashmir and remains focused on the restoration of Article 370. She stressed that the PDP has consistently pursued its agenda, citing the repeal of POTA, the opening of cross-LoC routes, and facilitating talks with the Hurriyat Conference as examples of their past achievements.