J K News Today

Srinagar, September 10:

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has announced that her party will “ stay away “ from the Urban Local  bodies and Panxchayat polls  in Jammu and Kashmir as the Centre has cast doubts by linking the outcome of the Article 35 A to the holding of these polls.

“ This has aggravated an already explosive situation in Kashmir in which the people were  feeling threatened  about of their lives and properties , and as such the PDP has decided to stay away from these polls,” she told reporters here on Wednesday afternoon  at the conclusion of the Political Affairs Committeee meeting of the party .

Mehbooba  said that she is looking at the larger interest o the state than merely as to who gets into the local bodies and Panchayats  in the wake of the non-participation of the mainstream parties in this electoral process..

This is a big blow to 6he electoral process.

Mehbooba who had been championing the cause of the protection of the Article 35 A  since her days  as Chief Minister  said that she had warned the Prime Minister that her  party would pull out of the Government if there was any tinkering with the Article 35 A or Article 370 ,

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah has already  announced the boycott of these polls.