NC, PDP term schedule declaration ‘arrogance of power’; Fence-sitter Cong may decide today

SRINAGAR: With their calls to boycott the panchayat and municipal elections failing to make any impact on the Governor’s administration, the two largest mainstream political players in the state- National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today termed the announcement of poll schedule arrogance of power.

The two parties also threatened action against proxy candidates if any one joins the electoral fray with the claim of owing allegiance to either of the two parties. While BJP is all for polls, the other major national political party sitting on the fence- Congress will be holding yet another meeting on Monday to take a decision on its participation in elections.

“Announcement of poll schedule for panchayats and municipalities is a unilateral decision taken without the consent of the mainstream political parties. We had demanded an all party meeting and had the Governor Satya Pal Malik taken the party meeting and said what he said on article 35 A on Saturday, the situation would have been different,” PDP Chief Spokesman Rafi Ahmad Mir said.

“The Centre has demolished mainstream politics in Jammu & Kashmir,” he said. PDP’s arch rival NC didn’t differ much. “The decision to announce the poll schedule shows the arrogance of power and now we would like to see the relevance of these elections boycotted by two largest mainstream political parties in the state,” NC Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani said.

The duo said that they will not allow anyone to contest the elections in the name of their parties. “The moment any National Conference worker joins the electoral fray we will take action against him/her,” Wani said. Rafi seconded Wani: “We won’t allow any party worker to contest the election against any one daring to join the electoral fray.

” “Though we will not launch any anti-poll campaign like the separatist do but will and have asked the party cadres and as well as the people to stay away from these elections,” he added. The Congress which last week held two back-to-back meetings to decide over its participation in the polls, has failed to reach any decision. “We are a national party. We will take a meeting on Monday for taking a decision on participation in elections,” State Congress President Ghulam Ahmad Mir said.

“However we believe that announcement of poll schedule for panchayat and municipal election is a unilateral decision taken in isolation by the government which is against the very spirit of participatory democracy,” he was quoted saying by a Valleybased news-gathering agency