Srinagar, Sep 19 (KNS): The State Congress on Wednesday said that it has decided to participate in the upcoming Panchayat and Municipal elections in the state, saying that the decision was taken to keep the communal forces away.
According to the KNS correspondent, addressing a presser here at party headquarters here, JKPCC Chief G A Mir told reporters that the party has decided not to stay away from the upcoming elections to keep the ground open for the ‘communal forces’ but “we will fight with the full might.”
He said that the Congress party being a responsible secular force will certainly not give safe passage to BJP neither in these elections not in future, remaining away from the upcoming elections will ensure victory of communal forces, which will be a big blunder “in case we do not counter BJP RSS, we would also been perceived as dual and opportunistic.
“Keeping this in mind, Congress party has decided to participate in these elections,” he said, adding that the party wants that the elections must be free and fair, if at some point of time, the party feels that elections are not being conducted in a fair manner, then the party after assessing the situation will have no hesitation to take a call.
He also said that the current political and security situation in the valley is the outcome of the pro BJP policies of the PDP, fighting Kargil elections simultaneously boycotting ULB elections is something which would find no takers in the State, simply it makes no sense, it is just a political gimmick to regain the lost ground on the part of PDP.
“The party believes that under the grim situation prevailing in the valley all mainstream political and other Secular Forces must unite to defeat the designs of BJP RSS. We also believe that Election Boycott by few regional parties was a deliberate and considered effort to provide space to BJP RSS in these elections otherwise there was no reason for these parties to boycott the elections after contesting Kargil Hill Dev Council elections, very recently,” he said.
“We also believe these elections (ULB/Panchayat) are directly linked with the development of people at grass roots level, besides it has nothing to do with the State Legislation. So, we appeal to people to get united against communal and fascist forces which are hell bent upon to capture power in the State by hook or by crook,” he said.
JKPCC chief further said that defeating BJP-RSS amounts to safeguarding the Special Status of the State, besides strengthening the Secular Forces in the Country. “We need to deter the BJP RSS from taking mileage out of so called boycott by regional forces,” he added.
“We have apprised the Governor about the security concerns of the Candidates and emphasized that requisite security cover be ensured to them. Today we again reiterate our demand to the Governor to ensure security to everyone in the fray,” he said.
“The party is committed to safeguard the special status of the state; there will be no compromise on it. Our stand is clear we won’t allow anyone to fiddle with the Art 370, rather we (Congress) would take effective measures to further strengthen the special status of the State,” he said. (KNS)