People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration is intact, says Farooq Abdullah

Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) president, Dr. Farooq Abdullah denied on Thursday that there were differences which could lead to the breaking up of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD).

Replying to a question about Wednesday's resolution passed by the provincial committee of the NC that said that the party would on its own context all the 90 Assembly seats during the Jammu and Kashmir elections, Abdullah said, "Many would want an end to the PAGD, but the alliance will not be affected.

"Ours is a democratic party and its leaders can pass resolutions, but whatever happens when the elections are declared will depend on the situation at that time.

"People need both patience and tolerance and unless these two things are there, no alliance can succeed".

Responding to the resolution by the provincial committee of the NC, Suhail Bukhari, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman said, "PAGD was conceived for a much larger cause than just an electoral alliance. If some constituent of the alliance has reservations for any kind of electoral alliance, that will not impact our unity for the larger goal."

The PAGD was formed in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 and downgrading of the state into a union territory.

The constituents of the PAGD stand for restoration of Article 370 and statehood for J&K.

One of its constituents, the Congress has, however, demanded the restoration of statehood, but has maintained silence on the restoration of Article 370.

--IANS

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