Srinagar, July 25: Opposition Peoples Democratic Party Monday accused ruling National Conference of indulging in horse-trading of elected representatives of Panchayats. The party warned government to allow them to hold a “state-level” program of its newly elected Panchayat members later this week, claiming that PDP has won majority of seats in recent polls to rural local bodies.
“National Conference is delaying the constitution of Panchayats only because it is trying to buy the elected Panchs and Sarpanchs of other parties including Congress. This is being done by them (NC) to poach upon the top position of the Panchayats at district and block levels,” senior PDP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, told a press conference here.
The government, Baig said is dishing out the “excuse” that it was yet to decide on empowering the elected members. “It is already defined in the law and government is only misleading people,” said Baig, flanked by party’s chief spokesman, Naeem Akthar and senior members including Muhammad Dillawar Mir and Syed Altaf Bukhari.
Baig said PDP had decided to hold a program of its elected Panchs and Sarpanchs on July 28 to educate them about their role and duties. He said despite writing to the District Magistrate Srinagar on five occasions seeking permission for the function at TRC, there was no response from the government. Today, Baig said they got a communiqué from the administration that the party will be given permission for holding the function tomorrow morning. At the same time, Baig said the government deliberately scheduled the oath-taking ceremony of Panchs and Sarpanchs from different districts on July 28 to sabotage PDP’s programme.
“Government has adopted two-pronged strategy to sabotage our program. We don’t want any confrontation with the government but they are forcing us and our elected representatives to take to roads. We appeal to the government to stop this circus show,” Baig said.
However the senior PDP leader said if government makes a formal request to PDP to delay the function then only they will reconsider their decision.
“Otherwise if government tries to sabotage it we will go ahead with our scheduled program and onus will lie on the government.”
Baig said government fears that the participation of party’s elected representatives (Panchs and Sarpanchs) in the program will prove that PDP has emerged as number one party” in the Panchayat elections. “Government fears that the cat will be out of the bag,” Baig said.
He said “preliminary estimates” show that the party has more than 8000 elected representatives from Kashmir and around 1000 from Jammu.
“They are not LeT militants or stone-pelters but representatives of the people, and their inputs are important vis-à-vis solution to Kashmir issue.”
He said it was an open secret that elections were contested on party basis despite claims by the government to hold them on non-party basis. “Even Chief Minister has acknowledged this,” Baig said.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 25 Jul 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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