The recent announcement by National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah that his party intends to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections independently has triggered ripples of unease among the members of the INDIA bloc alliance in Jammu and Kashmir. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a key ally in the coalition, has reportedly been miffed by the NC decision. .
The alliance, comprising NC, PDP, and Congress, has been facing internal challenges ranging from desertions to challenging negotiations over the distribution of seats, although there aren’t enough seats to distribute. Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have six parliamentary seats of which were won by the BJP last time. However, the latest stance taken by the NC, asserting its unwillingness to allocate any of the three Lok Sabha seats from Kashmir to its allies, has intensified the strains within the coalition.
PDP, which expected a share in the three Valley seats, may also decide to go solo and contest independently, as may Congress. This will split the votes among the three parties. Votes will further fragment with the other non-allied parties like People’s Conference, Apni Party and Democratic Azad Party also throwing their hat in the ring. This will be a certain advantage for the BJP which will fight all the six seats in J&K and Ladakh.
Incidentally , the NC and the PDP are part of the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), where both NC and PDP have stood together in the past. The PAGD, formed with the objective of restoring the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, faces an internal challenge as its constituent members grapple with divergent interests and ambitions.
Farooq Abdullah’s categorical statement during a press conference in Srinagar, declaring that the National Conference will independently contest all five Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, has reverberated through the political landscape. While his son and party vice-president Omar Abdullah later attempted to clarify that NC remains a part of the INDIA alliance and will engage in talks with Congress, the omission of any mention of the PDP has not gone unnoticed.
As both the NC and PDP actively mobilize their efforts to assess their strengths across the five Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, the unfolding political drama raises fundamental questions about the stability and coherence of the INDIA bloc alliance. The fissures within the coalition highlight the intricate challenges of managing alliances in a region characterized by complex political dynamics, regional aspirations, and individual party ambitions. As the electoral landscape evolves, the fate of the coalition and its impact on the broader political scenario in Jammu and Kashmir remain uncertain. It remains to be seen whether the alliance survives the fresh strain. And it would be better for them to stick together. Going their respective ways will benefit none of them. There is an eminent possibility that all of them will lose in the process.
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