Imran Ansari with Sajjad Lone | File Photo
‘Sajad Sahib You Have To Be Ready To Answer Questions That We All Have’
Srinagar: Peoples Conference General Secretary Imran Raza Ansari Saturday accused the leadership of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) of fielding proxy candidates in recently held DDC elections and asked his party chief Sajad Gani Lone to go for introspection for trusting PAGD.
Imran Ansari in a letter to Sajad Lone wrote: “I am writing to you in reference to the recent statements made by Mr. Abdul Gani Vakil. From the outset, I would strongly urge you to take this letter of mine in the proper spirit and not in any manner think that this is a letter challenging your decisions and authority in the party”.
Imran shot the letter to his party boss a day after Apni Party leader Syed Altaf Bukhari said the PAGD lacked sincerity of purpose and was an alliance of opportunists.
Imran urged Lone that the call of introspection made by Vakil (Another leader of PAGD) must be taken in the “proper spirit” in which it has been made.
“It does not mean that we are against the spirit of PAGD or the objectives of the PAGD. But in wake of the deceitful behavior shown by our allies by fielding proxy candidates in almost all DDC constituencies, we need to seriously think whether PAGD collectively possesses the sincerity that the people of J&K deserve”, Imran said.
“In the context of proxy candidates, I will narrate my own personal experience. Pattan had two DDC segments and both were allotted to Peoples Conference and we fielded two candidates on behalf of the PAGD. Would Sajad sahib care to explain why did the NC leaders including the current Parliament Member of NC, and their constituency head held indoor meetings and campaigned against these two candidates of PAGD? Their involvement in Pattan was so much that the MP fared very badly in his own Assembly constituency because he was solely focused on defeating the Peoples Conference candidate fighting on the PAGD mandate,” reads the letter.
“Now let me bring to your kind notice the other facet of deceit. We were allotted seats to fight in the neighboring Sonawari Assembly segment but NC put up candidates and not by proxy but on proper NC mandate. You would know better sir that the party nomination form is signed by the party president. The president of PAGD Dr Farooq Abdullah signed the mandate for a particular DDC segment in our favor and then Dr Farooq Abdullah as the president of NC also signed the nomination form of a NC candidate in the same DDC segment. So what are we up against? This is not gossip or something unverifiable. This is a documented fact. You can check the records. This has happened with other parties too”, Imran’s letter further revealed.
“Now let me draw your attention to our bastion district Kupwara. May I ask you who did we fight against in the DDC seats allotted to us? The BJP candidates got hardly a few hundred votes. Who voted against us? Sajad sahib is it not time to tell the truth to the people. Our cadres know it, NC cadres know it. We were fighting the NC. It was a typical NC vs PC fight. When you went out to campaign who were you campaigning for and who were you campaigning against? Our senior leader and ex MLA Bashir Ahmed Dar sahib openly named the top NC leaders of the area on the stage in a large public gathering where you were also present. Did you not promise the people in your speech that you will ensure that action is taken against those who fielded proxy candidates? I am just asking, “Where is the action against those leaders who defied PAGD and fielded proxy candidates against PAGD?” he asks in the letter.
“You served a notice to me when I met the Lieutenant Governor. Why was I prohibited from going when today an official delegation of the NC and Mr. Yusuf Tarigami have gone to meet the LG? I don’t for a moment challenge your authority and your leadership but I am saying that too much simplicity and taking people on face value may do a lot of damage to the party”.
“Sir, let me also draw your attention to the political aspects. Mr. Omar Abdullah said that these elections were a referendum on August 5. Our party position is clear. We are against August 5 and will do what it takes to fight for the restoration of our rights. I have a simple question for Mr. Omar Abdullah. If indeed it was a referendum who did the NC cadres vote for or against in the referendum. It is simple. A vote for PAGD was a vote against August 5. But in many constituencies NC voted against PAGD through their proxies. So NC in Pattan, Singhpora, Ramhall, Chowkibal etc segments voted against PAGD thereby voting in favor of August 5. Isn’t this cheating? How can you keep quiet on such issues?
Imran Ansari also said that the past two months have shown that there is no sincerity in PAGD and has asked Sajad Lone to be ready to answer questions.
“I implore upon you to convene a meeting of the working committee and also of the newly elected DDC members. With all humility Sajad Sahib you have to be ready to answer questions that we all have.” (With inputs from KNS)
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