KL Report
Srinagar
Trying to come out of the shock of crushing defeat in recent LC polls by the hands of coalition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said the state was poised for a genuine democratic contest for the first time in its history in which the people would have clear options to choose from on the basis of performance.
“The emergence of PDP as a credible regional force had ended monopolistic politics and introduced a much needed corrective into the democratic system of Jammu and Kashmir,” Mufti said while addressing a rally in Bari Brahmana Jammu on Sunday.
Mufti said that democracy in the state had suffered in the past for a variety of reasons but one major deficiency was the absence of a credible alternative to the National Conference in Kashmir and generally adversarial national parties in most parts of Jammu.
“This unusual scenario for a democracy made the NC arrogant and the notion of absolute power and indispensability led it ideologically and materially to absolute corruption and it would swap parties, rig elections, oppress opponents, and make U turns and compromises on state’s vital interests with impunity,” he said.
“In the process the state that is blessed by nature with immense resources for growth suffered economically, socially and politically and is reduced to a begging bowl because there was no political audit and accountability of rulers” Mufti added.
Mufti said that the emergence of PDP as a party that is expanding into all regions of the state was a historic necessity for other reasons as well.
“Apart from providing an alternative for governance it could fill a major gap in state polity by connecting regions and communities across the state on a single political platform,” he said adding “Till now unfortunately no party has been able to inspire confidence among all the stakeholders of our diverse state with everybody aiming solely for power and generally by creating fissures in society for vote banks. I am making a sincere effort to fill this void by connecting people and seek your cooperation in bringing them on one platform to fight for our democratic rights” Mufti said.
Mufti alleged that corruption was a major problem at the national level, but in J&K it had the patronage of people in high places and the vigilance apparatus had been completely disabled. He said that government employees would be able to discharge their duties sincerely only under an effective and visionary political direction.
“The same administration produced entirely different results under the previous coalition and ran the state much better even at the height of militancy” Mufti said.
According to a statement a large number of political workers including district vice president of National Conference Saleem Choudhary along with hundreds of his supporters joined PDP.
