Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari Monday said his party was not averse to the formation of Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) but was in principle against its hollow slogans.
“It is with these slogans with which its signatories want to hoodwink the people in Jammu and Kashmir,” Bukhari said in a statement issued here. Bukhari set off on his maiden election campaign trail for District Development Council (DDC) polls and made his maiden address to the party workers at Bandipora.
He said his party was not against any kind of democratic alliances formed between different political parties but the newly-formed PAGD was spreading lies and trying to befool the people through its false claims on the special status of J&K.
“Apni party also aspires for the restoration of the special status to J&K but since the matter is sub judice before the Supreme Court, we have not claimed anything about it. However, we also hope and pray that the verdict of the apex court on restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A should meet the aspirations of the people of J&K,” he said.
Bukhari said he wanted to remind those political parties who garnered votes to stop BJP in J&K and later on became its ally just for the sake of power and perks.
“Few leaders of the PAGD also enjoyed ministries in the NDA government,” he said. “Those who are calling us names like A or B Team have been part of BJP until recently just for sharing power and positions.”
Bukhari said that the political parties be it NC, PDP, Congress or BJP have always been averse to the idea of strengthening the grassroots level democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.