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Centre’s onslaught has to be taken head-on collectively: Mehbooba

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 4/5/2021 11:45:23 AM

Srinagar/New Delhi, Apr 4 Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Sunday dismissed speculations that the PAGD, an alliance of six mainstream parties, was headed for a break-up, stressing there is no alternative to staying together as the Centre’s “onslaught” against the people of Jammu and Kashmir has to be taken “head-on collectively”. “A coalition of this kind will take time to settle down,” the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief told media, terming the recent rumblings in the alliance expected “teething troubles”. Her comments come in the backdrop of the exit of one of the PAGD constituents, the Peoples Conference, and suggestions by some of her party men that she should also reconsider the PDP’s relations with the National Conference and whether staying in PAGD remains pertinent. The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a grouping of the National Conference, the PDP, the People’s Conference, the CPI-M, the CPI, the Awami National Conference and the JKPM, was formed last October ahead of the District Development Council elections. “...teething problems were expected as far as the PAGD is concerned. We have been traditional rivals. A coalition of this kind will take time to settle down. to campaign for NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma, he left the area, without making any speeches to take a chopper back to Guwahati en-route to Delhi on learning of the Naxal attack. The home minister said that he was appealing to people to vote for Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to ensure Sarma's victory by a huge margin. He added that the vote would strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his work for Assam and the North East. Shah said that both Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Sarma are working to develop the state and "we want this to continue".