Srinagar, Jun 22 (UNI) The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Tuesday met in the summer capital, Srinagar, to discuss Centre’s invitation to mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir for a meeting which will be presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at New Delhi on Thursday.
PAGD -- including National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), CPI (M), Awani National Conference (ANC) and Peoples Movement -- met at the residence of its president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Gupkar road at around 1115 hrs on Tuesday. Two of the five parties of the alliance, ANC and Peoples Movement, have not been invited for the meeting.
It needs to be seen what the PAGD will decide as the alliance has time and again said they will fight for the restoration of pre-August 5 position in Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, hectic activities were witnessed since Sunday in Kashmir valley where political parties have been debating about the further course of action in view of the invite by the Centre for an all-party meeting.
However, the parties have not disclosed whether they will participate in the meeting or not and what demands they will put forth in the meeting.
The PDP despite holding detailed meeting on Sunday is yet to announce any final decision as the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), which is the highest decision making body of the party, has authorized president Mehboona Mufti to take final call on the invitation.
The National Conference (NC) said party leadership is hold consultations with senior party leaders, including from Ladakh, before announcing final decision about the invitation to the meeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting of 14 leaders from eight political parties in J&K on June 24 to discuss the future course of action for the Union Territory.
The Centre has invited four former chief ministers – Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mehbooba Mufti, besides four Deputy Chief Ministers – Muzafar Hussain Beigh, Tara Chand, Nirmal Singh, Kavinder Gupta. Leaders of six other political parties -- Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami of CPI(M), Sajad Gani Lone of Peoples Conference, Mohammad Altaf Bukhari of Apni Party, Prof Bhim Singh of Panthers Party, Ravinder Raina of BJP and G A Mir of Congress – were also invited in the meeting.
The meeting by the Centre is the first such initiative since August 5, 2019, when the BJP-led NDA government abrogated Article 370 and Article 35 A, besides dividing Jammu & Kashmir into two Union Territories.
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