PAGD says no rift among parties over seat-sharing for DDC polls

Srinagar: After initial hiccups, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Sunday reached a consensus over the seat-sharing arrangement for the second phase of the upcoming DDC polls in Jammu and Kashmir and said there is no rift among the alliance partners.

PAGD members on Saturday had failed to finalise the seat-sharing formula for the District Development Council (DDC) polls despite holding a marathon meeting, the third in two days, on the issue.

The alliance partners continued the consultations on Sunday as well at the residence of National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, who is the chairman of the PAGD

The PAGD is an alliance of several political parties seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status abrogated by the Centre in August last year.

Consensus has been reached over seat-sharing for the second phase of the polls in the meeting -- which was the fourth such exercise in the last three days, a PAGD leader said.

He said the meeting, chaired by Abdullah, was attended by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president G A Mir, Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone, CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami, Awami National Conference senior vice-president Muzaffar Shah and Peoples Movement president Javaid Mustafa Mir, among others.

He said consultations over seat-sharing arrangements for the rest of the phases of the eight-phased election will continue.

We are focusing on one phase at a time. The consultations between the parties are being held in detailed manner and in cordial atmosphere. Such exercises take time, but there is a consensus on how to go about it, the leader, who did not wish to be identified, said.

He said the seat-sharing list was likely to be shared by the alliance with the media in a day or two.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters outside Abdullah's residence after the meeting, JKPCC president G A Mir said there was no rift among the alliance partners as everyone understands that this is part of a larger fight for the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

There is nothing like that (rift). Even if you give 100 per cent share to a political party, there still will be some lacunae, Mir said.