BJP HITS OUT AT GUPKAR ALLIANCE, SAYS THEY ARE ONLY AFTER POWER

Press Trust of India

The BJP lashed out at the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Sunday, a day after the alliance announced it would contest the upcoming first-ever District Development Council (DDC) polls in Jammu and Kashmir unitedly, saying it is only after power and is befooling people about seeking the restoration of the erstwhile state’s special status.

The PAGD -- an alliance of seven mainstream parties of Jammu and Kashmir seeking the restoration of the erstwhile state’s special status -announced on Saturday that it would contest the DDC polls unitedly not to allow the sacred space in democracy to be “invaded or marauded by divisive forces”.

Terming the alliance the “Gupkar Gang”, Jammu and Kashmir BJP’s general secretary and Kashmir affairs in-charge Vibodh Gupta said the parties in it are after power and people should understand their intentions. “If the alliance is against the Constitution of India, then how come is this gang fighting the DDC election under the same Constitution? Those who will emerge as winners will have to take oath under the very Constitution that the Gupkar Gang is opposing,” Gupta told reporters at a press conference here.

He said the PAGD’s decision to contest the DDC polls reflects the “dual politics” being played by it. “This is how the Gupkar Gang is playing cheap politics and trying to befool people. On one hand, they want to remain in the system and gain power, but on the other hand, they are opposing the same Constitution under which they are supposed to take oath,” the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.

He said the alliance is afraid of the saffron party’s “growing popularity” in Jammu and Kashmir and thus, has decided to stay united against it in the DDC polls.