Restore Statehood, Then Hold J&K Assembly Elections: Gupkar Alliance

All leaders of the Gupkar alliance met in Srinagar for the first time on Monday, since PM Modi’s 24 June meeting.

The special status of the erstwhile state of J&K had been revoked by the BJP-led government in August 2019.

(Photo: IANS)

Since last month’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration gave their first public statement on Monday, 5 July, saying that Assembly elections should be held in Jammu and Kashmir only after its statehood is restored by the Centre.

The special status of the erstwhile state had been revoked by the BJP-led government in August 2019, dividing it into two Union Territories.

Citing the absence of any significant confidence building measures, the alliance had expressed disappointment at the conclusion of PM Modi’s all-party meeting in New Delhi last month.

The three-and-a-half hour meeting on 24 June was Modi’s first direct engagement with leaders of Jammu and Kashmir since 2019.

All the leaders of the alliance met in Srinagar for the first time on Monday, since PM Modi’s 24 June meeting.

Monday's meeting included People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, chief spokesperson MY Tarigami, and NC vice-president Omar Abdullah.

The meeting also comes ahead of the visit of the members of the Delimitation Commission to the Union Territory.

PM Modi had assured the Valley’s leaders that his government was committed to reviving the democratic process through Assembly elections as soon as possible and also sought their participation in the delimitation exercise.