Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Waheed Ur Rehman Parra on Wednesday said the National Conference’s (NC) attempt to blame his party for the Rajya Sabha election outcome was “misplaced,” asserting that the issue was being used to divert attention from more substantive concerns.
In a post on X, Parra said the NC’s outcry over the Rajya Sabha vote was “not fundamentally about the Rajya Sabha,” but a “diversion” from issues such as the Siraj-ul-Aloom controversy and concerns over the alleged erasure of Urdu from official records.
He also referred to the recent political developments, accusing the NC of weakening opposition unity. “The National Conference disintegrated the PAGD and ensured PDP’s exclusion from the INDIA alliance arrangement during the Assembly elections,” he wrote.
Parra said despite this, the PDP extended “unconditional support” to the NC. “Against this backdrop, PDP did not owe cooperation to NC. Yet, we supported them despite being aware of internal dissent within the party,” he added, terming the attempt to blame PDP for the outcome as “inaccurate and counterproductive.”
In an apparent reference to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, he said the “failure lies close to Nawai Subh.”
Referring to PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Parra said she neither abstained from voting nor imposed conditions. “Her only suggestion was to secure the third seat and avoid turning the uncertain fourth seat into a blame game,” he wrote.
Parra maintained that the voting process was “open and deliberated” and that key decisions, including the appointment of polling agents, were the responsibility of the NC. He questioned the party’s stand on the absence of a PDP-appointed agent, asking how it could distrust PDP legislators while expecting trust in its appointed agent.
He also cited remarks by NC MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi regarding lack of clarity in party communication during the Vice-Presidential elections, and questioned whether similar standards were being applied.
Parra warned that targeting the PDP could undermine opposition unity in Jammu and Kashmir and play into the BJP’s hands. “In targeting PDP, NC has not weakened a rival but undermined the trust extended in good faith,” he wrote.
He urged the NC leadership to focus on governance instead of “dwelling on one lost Rajya Sabha seat.”