Srinagar: The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of seven political parties for the restoration of special status of Jammu and Kashmir, lost over 35 seats due to the internal differences caused over distribution of seats in District Development Council (DDC) elections, PAGD leaders told Kashmir Reader.
Before the elections, disagreements and differences among the alliance affiliated parties comprising National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Peoples Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement, Peoples Conference and Communist Party of India had emerged over the seats.
A senior PAGD member pleading anonymity confirmed his party too had issues with the seat sharing arrangement and said that over 35 seats were lost due to these differences, prompting the parties to field candidates against each other.
“It was done in a bad spirit, but we still won because God destined us to win,” he said.
The PAGD has won 110 of the 278 seats for which results have been declared, while results of two seats have not been declared yet. The BJP won the majority of seats in Jammu region at 72 and won three seats in Kashmir region. Independents won 50 seats across J&K, 7 of them in Srinagar. He said if the difference were not there, they could have bagged 140 seats.
In some cases, some parties had fielded their own candidates against the Alliance candidates. For instance, CPI (M) which was allotted three seats but it actually participated in six and emerged winner from five in Kashmir. Similarly, in Pattan area, where Peoples Conference candidate contested as an independent also won. He later joined the Alliance.
“We were fortunate that we won in some cases but we have lost some 35 as well,” said the leader. “This has now happened and is part of history. We have to move forward and keep the fight for the restoration of special status on.”

Junaid Nabi Bazaz