Congress to contest local bodies’ polls in J&K

SRINAGAR : The Congress on Wednesday announced its participation in the local bodies’ elections being held in Jammu and Kashmir from October to December days after saying the situation was not conducive for the polls amid a spike in militant violence in the state.

SRINAGAR: The Congress on Wednesday announced its participation in the upcoming urban local body and panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which will be held from October to December.

“We cannot leave the field open for the BJP and the RSS,’’ said state Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir, days after his party said the situation was not conducive for the polls amid a spike in militant violence in the state.

Mir said secular forces should have joined hands to stop the “communal forces”. “The BJP was happy that some parties are not participating,’’ he said, referring to the poll boycott of the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The state’s two main parties are protesting against what they think are attempts to dilute the state’s special constitutional status. A bunch of petitions challenging the validity of the Constitution’s Article 35A, which prevents outsiders from buying property in Jammu and Kashmir, is pending before the Supreme Court.

The Congress held a series of meetings over the last week to take a call on whether to contest the polls. Mir said the participation was necessary as the Congress is a national party with responsibility.

The Congress decided to contest the polls even as the party’s leaders in the Kashmir Valley were in favour of boycotting them, said leaders aware of the discussions within the party.

PDP spokesman Tahir Sayeed said the Congress is a national party and must have taken the decision keeping in view national politics. “We took the decision keeping in view aspirations of the state’s people,” Sayeed said, justifying his party’s stand.

NC spokeswoman Sarah Hayat said the elections without the two regional parties will look like a mockery. “It will make no sense as the NC and PDP take most seats in the state. It is like a (national) election (without) the Congress and BJP’s participation.”

BJP spokesman Altaf Thakur said the Congress, as a national party, could not have stayed away from the polls. “Other parties like the Janata Dal (United), the (former separatist Sajad Lone’s) Peoples Conference will also take part in these polls.’’