Cong part of Gupkar alliance, to contest J-K elections with us: Farooq Abdullah

Jammu (Jammu and Kasmir) [India], November 9 (ANI): National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said that the Congress is very well a part of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration and will contest the upcoming District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir with it.

"The Congress is still a part of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration and we will fight the DDC elections together," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told reporters at a local market here.

He added that more and more devotees should come to Jammu for "Mata (Vaishno Devi's) darshan" so that the local traders could do business.

Asked about the exit polls projecting the Mahagathbandhan — of which the Congress is a part — the winner of the recently concluded Bihar polls, he asserted that there was a difference between the exit poll and real election results. "Let the results come and then I will talk," he said. 

Abdullah on October 24 had said that the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration has been formed to ensure the rights of the people of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are restored. Abdullah was chosen the President of the alliance, while PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti its Vice-President.

Jammu and Kashmir Election Commissioner K K Sharma had last week announced that the first District Development Council elections in the Union Territory will be held in eight phases between November 28 and December 19.

This will be the first electoral exercise in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation into two Union Territories. (ANI)