Like many other states, I.N.D.I. alliance partners especially National Conference and PDP have decided to fight against each other leaving little room to Congress to decide about its support to either of the regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir.
Former Chief Minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti lashed out at the National Conference and Omar Abdullah accused them of leaving no option for PDP workers but to show their presence in the entire Jammu and Kashmir.
As reported earlier, Omar Abdullah did not budge to the demand of PDP for getting Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary segment. The doors to the negotiations were shut when the National Conference announced Mian Altaf, a former minister and Gujjar leader as its candidate from Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary segment.
Former Chief Minister and DPAP President Ghulam Nabi Azad has already taken the poll plunge and decided to contest from this parliamentary segment.
Ghulam Nabi Azad is also banking on votes in Congress pockets of Anantnag and also among the Gujjar and Paharis in Rajouri and Poonch.
To make the contest more interesting in this parliamentary segment, J&K Apni party which is being accused of having a cosy relationship with BJP has fielded a Pahari face, who was also MLC for PDP Zaffar Iqbal Manhas from this parliamentary segment. Manhas is being viewed as a vote cutter rather than have winning prospects.
Omar Abdullah recently lost his cool and blamed the media for trying to create a rift between NC and PDP.
“Why are you making the PDP fight us? Has the PDP said anywhere that they will contest elections? It is you people who are fuelling this,” said Omar Abdullah.
Mehbooba Mufti accused Omar Abdullah of being responsible for breaking the alliance and claimed that there were no talks held for the seat sharing in Jammu and Kashmir with her party.
She claimed that if National Conferences would have consulted her earlier for the larger interests of unity PDP would not have contested.
The fielding of candidates in entire Jammu and Kashmir has shown that INDIA allies are contesting against each other and it will be difficult to predict the outcome as more political parties are fielding candidates here.
The political developments in Jammu and Kashmir will surely bring Congress high command in tricky situations. They will have to decide whether they will support PDP or National Conference candidates in Kashmir valley.
Congress is already having a shrinking base in Kashmir valley and Ghulam Nabi Azad has been able to get the support of Congress workers to some extent in Anantnag and Rajouri-Poonch.
Recently Azad lashed out at NC and PDP and said that both these parties have remained B teams of BJP and have been in coalition with them.