PDP's J&K poll manifesto released; Mehbooba Mufti criticises 'agenda-less' Congress-NC alliance

During a press conference in Srinagar where she unveiled the PDP manifesto, Mufti said that the NC-Congress alliance was formed solely on the basis of seat-sharing rather than a shared agenda.

She invited the two parties to contest all 90 seats in the Union Territory if they agreed with her party's agenda.

The Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir gathers significance as it will be the first since the erstwhile state was stripped of Article 370 that granted special status and divided into two Union Territories--Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in 2019.

Her party would not join any alliance that is focused solely on dividing seats without a common purpose.

"But the alliance between the NC and Congress is not happening on the agenda. It is happening on seat sharing. We will not do any alliance in which there is only talk of seat sharing. The alliance should be on the agenda and our agenda is to solve the problem of Jammu and Kashmir," she added.

Mehbooba Mufti asserted that she was ready to leave all the seats to Congress-NC alliance, if they aligned with the agenda of PDP.

She said that her party seeks the reopening of the route to the Hindu pilgrimage site Sharada Peeth in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) and advocates for dialogue with Pakistan to restore cross-LoC trade, which India halted in 2019 after Pakistan downgraded trade relations following the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

In the 2014 Assembly elections, the BJP and PDP formed a coalition government, with Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister. After Sayeed's death in January 2016, Mehbooba Mufti succeeded him following a brief period of Governor’s Rule.

The BJP withdrew from the PDP-led coalition in June 2018, leading to the Assembly's dissolution by then-Governor Satya Pal Malik in November of that year. Since then, Jammu and Kashmir has been without an Assembly.

During the press conference, Mufti outlined her party's promises if elected, including providing 200 units of free electricity, implementing the old pension scheme, and ensuring free electricity to temples, mosques, and gurdwaras.

She also pledged to increase the honorarium for contractual teachers and offer free legal assistance to those currently imprisoned.

Jammu Kashmir poll dates

On August 16, the Election Commission announced that the Haryana Assembly elections would take place in a single phase on October 1, with the results scheduled to be declared on October 4.

Jammu Kasmir will vote in three phases to elect legislators to the 90-seat Assembly.

The polling will be held on September 18, September 25 and October 1.

Results are expected to be declared on October 4.

Since 2019, Jammu and Kashmir has been governed as a Union Territory, with key powers resting with the Lieutenant Governor, currently Manoj Kumar Sinha.