Raouf Dar
Srinagar Oct 23 (KINS): Leaders of maintain parties who recently formed People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration are likely to give it a formal structure which is likely to be headed by National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.
Last week six mainstream parties held a meeting and formed an alliance for restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state as it existed before August 5 last year.
The meeting was held at the residence of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and attended by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone, Peoples Movement leader Javaid Mir, CPIM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and Awami National Conference vice-president Muzaffar Shah.
“We have decided that the Gupkar Declaration will be renamed as People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. Ours is a constitutional battle. We shall struggle for restoration of what was snatched from J&K and Ladakh,” Farooq told reporters after the two-hour meeting.
Now leaders of these parties have decided to give it a formal structure.
“We are working on it and giving it a formal structure. Farooq Abdullah is likely to be its head, while it will have general secretaries, vice-chairperson, coordinators and also a chief spokesperson who can issue statement and talk to the media on behalf of the alliance,” a National Conference leader told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
However, leaders of these parties remain silent whether their alliance will continue for other issues in J&K.
Senior National Conference leader and Member Parliament Retd Justice Hasnian Masoodi said six-parties have united seeking restoration of Article 370.
“This alliance will continue unless we get August 4, 2019 position. We will continue to strive for it,” Masoodi told KINS.
Asked whether these parties will also continue their alliance for any elections to be held in J&K, he replied, “We will decide that time. Presently our prime focus is on restoration of the special position of J&K.”
“There are some differences between these parties. But we are united to fight for restoration of Article 370,” he said.
Senior CPI-M leader M Y Tarigami said it was premature to say whether these parties will fight jointly any election in the future.
“This alliance is on certain objectives so that special status of J&K is restored. Rest time will decide on which other issues these parties will fight jointly,” Tarigami told news agency KINS.
A senior PDP leader said, “Nothing has been decided about other issues. We have met only once. It is premature to comment on what other issues this alliance will fight for.” (KINS)
