To back Gupkar Alliance or not? Congress in a fix over Article 370, to have two poll planks

SRINAGAR: The Congress, which has entered into a seat sharing agreement with the Gupkar Alliance, will have two poll planks for the District Development Council elections.  

In Kashmir, the party will fight on restoration of Article 370, 35A and statehood but it won’t touch the sensitive issues in Jammu and instead seek votes on constitutional safeguards and restoration of the statehood. 

J&K Congress vice-president Ghulam Nabi Monga, who is based in the Kashmir Valley, told this newspaper that the main plank for the polls would be Articles 370 and 35A.

“Our main poll agenda will be restoration of Article 370 and 35A. We stand for that and it will be an issue in the polls.” 

The Congress has entered into a seat sharing agreement with the Gupkar Alliance, which supports the restoration of J&K’s special status and statehood.

But, the Jammu unit is not comfortable with the Gupkar alliance’s narrative.  

“There are reservations because BJP is exploiting our party’s joining hands with the alliance,” a leader said. 

J&K Congress spokesman Ravindra Sharma said the party will go into polls with its own agenda.

“Congress has its own philosophy and agenda on unity and secularism. We never compromise on national trust, integrity and sentiments of the nation but that does not mean we endorse the BJP’s agenda.”

At the same time, he asserted the party doesn’t fully endorse what the Gupkar Alliance says.