The Kashmir Pulse

JAMMU — Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that there can be no talks with Pakistan until peace becomes a permanent feature in Jammu and Kashmir and that statehood will be restored at an appropriate time after Assembly polls.

“National Conference has advocated talks with Pakistan in its manifesto. Let me make it clear that there can be no talks with Pakistan until peace becomes a permanent feature in J&K,” Shah said while addressing a massive gathering in Jammu, as per the news agency KNO.

He kick-started the election campaign for the BJP and dared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on the Gujjar-Bakerwal and Dalit reservation, stating that “no power can touch this reservation.”

Taking a jibe at the NC-Congress for claiming they will bring back the statehood to J&K, he said, “Perhaps, Rahul Baba and Omar are unaware of my August 5, 2019 speech where I have clarified that statehood will be restored to J&K post polls at an appropriate time.”

In a scathing attack on Rahul and Omar, the Union Home Minister said, “I wonder how they can bring back statehood. Can they clarify? It is the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government that can give back the statehood to J&K.”

He said that it would be the first election in J&K when there is only one flag, one constitution and one Prime Minister. “Prime Minister is always one for the nation. From Kanyakumari to Kashmir, there is only one PM, that is Narendra Modi,” Shah said.

Shah asked the BJP workers to come along with four families early in the morning and finish voting by 11:30 am. Shah asked the workers to take a pledge that they would vote against Abdullahs, Muftis and Gandhis. He also raised the slogan: “Jahan Huway Balidan Mukherji, Wo Kashmiri Hamara hai.”

Shah said that as a politician, the people of Jammu and Kashmir should read the writing on the wall that NC-Congress can never form government in J&K. Lashing out at PDP for advocating cross-LoC trade, Shah said the profit earned out of the trade would directly go into the pockets of “terror mentors.”

Taking a jibe at NC for befooling people in the name of autonomy, Shah said it was because of this slogan that 40,000 people lost their lives in J&K in the past three decades. “Nobody can talk about autonomy now. Gone are those days,” he said.

Shah urged the BJP workers not to vote for NC, Congress and PDP as they want to revive terrorism, separatism and stone pelting in J&K. “These parties want the release of terror mentors and those who spent money to promote stone pelting. Do they deserve votes for this,” Shah asked as workers shouted “No”.

The Union Home Minister said that NC wants to change the name of Shankaracharya Hill to Takhtay Sulaiman. “We will not allow this, come what may,” he said.

He said that it was the NC that forced the then Maharaja of J&K, Hari Singh to flee Kashmir. “Later, what returned to J&K was the body of Hari Singh, who acceded to India in 1947,” he said.

SRINAGAR — Suhail Bukhari, former Chief Spokesperson of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), has joined the Congress party. This move follows his resignation from the PDP on August 20.

Bukhari, who was seeking a nomination to contest the upcoming elections from the Wagoora-Kreeri segment, was dissatisfied with the PDP leadership’s decision not to endorse his candidacy. His departure from the PDP was driven by this setback.

The Congress party has welcomed Bukhari’s entry, viewing it as a significant boost to their prospects in Jammu and Kashmir. His switch is expected to impact the political dynamics, especially in the Wagoora-Kreeri constituency where he has considerable support.

SRINAGAR — The National Conference (NC) and Congress have formed a pre-poll alliance for the J&K Assembly elections. The two parties have decided to go for seat sharing on 90 seats.

NC leaders said the party will field candidates from 51 seats, while INC will contest on 32 seats. However, they said that out of 32 seats, Congress will leave two seats, one each for CPI(M) and Panthers Party.

NC and Congress leaders said there will be a friendly contest on five seats in J&K, but in a very disciplined manner.

National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah said, "The negotiations between the Congress and the National Conference have concluded successfully. We have decided to contest the upcoming Assembly elections jointly, with complete coordination and cooperation between the JKNC and the Congress."

J&K PCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra, while sharing the details, said, "We have completed negotiations in a very cordial atmosphere, the Congress and the National Conference will fight the elections together. Our main objective is to save the soul of Jammu and Kashmir. We will start issuing mandates immediately and are confident we will win and form a government that truly serves the people of Jammu and Kashmir."

JAMMU — In a setback for the Congress party ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Vikar Rasool Wani, a former J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president and the party’s candidate for the Banihal Assembly constituency, has been sentenced to five months in jail by a court.

Wani, along with five others, was convicted for holding a public meeting without permission in 2012, violating the Model Code of Conduct.

The court in Jammu also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on Wani and his co-accused, Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Sachin, Ikramuddin, and Nazim.

The case dates back to the 2012 Assembly elections when a public meeting was organized without authorization at a school in Mithepur village, Banihal, and was addressed by Wani, then a sitting MLA.

Wani’s conviction comes as the Banihal constituency prepares for a ‘friendly contest’ between the National Conference (NC) and Congress, who failed to reach a seat-sharing agreement. If Wani is disqualified, the NC candidate, Sajjad Shaheen, could face a direct contest against the BJP.

Reacting to the court's decision, Wani expressed respect for the verdict but maintained there was no evidence or witnesses against him. "The case dates back to a 2012 rally when people were seated in a school. For 12 years, no action was taken, but a notice was issued again in 2024," Wani told reporters in Banihal. He added that the case is now in a higher court, where he hopes for a favourable resolution.

The NC and Congress have entered into a seat-sharing arrangement for the J&K Assembly elections, with both parties fielding candidates in five constituencies, including Banihal, for a ‘friendly contest.’

Despite the legal troubles, Wani remains hopeful the case will be resolved soon, and the Congress party has yet to announce any alternative plans should he be disqualified.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections are set to begin on September 18.

SRINAGAR — The Congress leadership is set to hold deliberations with the National Conference on Monday to iron out differences over seat-sharing for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls.

Congress general secretary organisation, K C Venugopal will hold talks with NC president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah at their residence here, leaders in both parties said.

They said the meeting was necessitated after “some differences” cropped up in seat-sharing arrangement during the talks between the local leadership of the parties. The leaders said both the parties have agreed over the seat-sharing formula to a large extent.

“The central leaders of Congress will meet our leadership to talk about the alliance. Some clarification is needed on some issues, and this will be done today,” NC provincial president, Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani told reporters outside the residence of the Abdullahs.

“Two parties have to contest the election together, there are many issues. We have to keep in mind the party cadre on the ground, we also have to consider the strength of the parties in specific seats,” he added.

Wani, however, said the seat-sharing issues will not have any impact on the alliance. “Had we known the elections would be conducted, we would have sorted these things beforehand,” the NC leader said.

Pertinently, polls to the 90-member J-K Assembly will be held in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1, while results will be announced on October 4.

SRINAGAR — In the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, the regional National Conference (NC) has formally entered into a pre-poll bonhomie with Congress and CPI(M) ahead of the Assembly polls, ending the long stalemate in this regard. The final papers between the parties are scheduled to be signed on Thursday evening.

Earlier in the day, the Congress top brass including its national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met the NC leadership at Dr Farooq Abdullah’s residence here in Gupkar. Other leaders from the two parties who were present in the meeting include NC vice president Omar Abdullah, J&K PCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra, AICC General Secretary (Org) K C Venugopal and NC provincial president Kashmir Nasir Aslam Wani.

As soon as the meeting ended, Dr Farooq spoke to the media persons and announced the pre-poll alliance with the Congress and CPI(M) parties.

Pertinently, the three parties in Jammu and Kashmir have also fought the Lok Sabha elections together and managed to secure two seats in Kashmir and lost three others—one in Kashmir and two in Jammu division.

Addressing the media persons, as per the news agency KNO, Dr Farooq said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and the pre-poll alliance was given the final shape. “The pre-poll alliance will be on all the 90 Assembly seats in Jammu & Kashmir,” he said while adding that NC-Congress and CPI(M) will fight the elections jointly.

The NC leader and party’s Provincial President Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani, who was present during the meeting with Congress leadership, said that the pre-poll alliance has been finalized. He also said that the PDP would not be part of the pre-poll alliance.

However, Wani didn’t divulge anything related to the seat sharing between the parties.

Pertinently, Rahul while addressing the workers at a local hotel here hinted at the pre-poll alliance even before the announcement and meeting with NC leadership. However, he stated that the alliance will not be formed at the cost of Congress workers’ and leaders’ interest.

Rahul along with AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge commenced his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. He arrived in Srinagar yesterday afternoon and attended the workers convention in Srinagar, which was followed by a press conference. He later met NC leadership and left for Jammu where he attended a Congress workers' convention.

SRINAGAR — Senior political leader Taj Mohiuddin on Saturday officially confirmed his resignation from the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and announced his decision to rejoin the Congress.

Speaking to the news agency KNS, Taj shared that he has formally stepped down from his position in DPAP and has already submitted his resignation letter to Ghulam Nabi Azad.

When questioned about the reasons behind his departure, Taj explained that the party is being labelled as a "team of the BJP," which influenced his decision to leave.

He expressed his discomfort with the association and reiterated his intention to return to the Congress party in the near future, stating that he would make the switch in front of his supporters.

Regarding the appointment of Tariq Karra as the new president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Taj lauded the decision, calling Karra a deserving candidate for the leadership role. He expressed confidence that Karra’s leadership will strengthen the Congress in J&K.

Taj Mohiuddin, a politician with years of experience, has played a significant role in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape. His return to the Congress is expected to have a notable impact, especially at a time when the party is seeking to solidify its presence ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

SRINAGAR — With the announcement of Assembly polls, the Congress has appointed senior leader Tariq Hameed Karra as the new Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president, replacing Vikar Rasool Wani.

In a press release issued to the news agency KNO, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal stated that senior leaders Tara Chand and Raman Bhalla have been appointed as Working Presidents of the JKPCC. The development came soon after the announcement of Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir by the Election Commission of India on Friday.

The poll body has announced three phases for Jammu and Kashmir, which were long overdue, with the first phase on September 18, second on September 25 and third phase on October 1. The results will be announced on October 4 along with Haryana which will go to polls on October 1.

“Congress president has appointed the president and working presidents of the Jammu & Kashmir PCC, with immediate effect. Tariq Hameed Karra is appointed as president JKPCC, while Tara Chand and Raman Bhalla as working presidents,” reads the statement.

It added that the Congress president has also appointed Vikar Rasool Wani as a special invitee, Congress Working Committee, with immediate effect. “Tariq Hameed Karra has been relieved from his current position as a permanent invitee, Congress Working Committee. The party appreciates the contributions of the outgoing PCC president, Vikar Rasool Wani,” it stated.

SRINAGAR — Congress UT President Vikar Rasool Wani on Wednesday announced an outreach initiative to address public grievances across Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking to the media in Srinagar, Vikar Rasool outlined the party’s plans to incorporate these concerns into their manifesto.

“We will meet all people and visit every district to check the people's grievances,” he stated.

Speaking of the struggles faced by the people over the past decade, he noted issues such as increased electricity fees and the plight of those affiliated with stone quarries.

Vikar Rasool criticized the BJP for terminating the Roshni Act and seizing land previously provided under the scheme. He also emphasized the demand to waive off Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans and pledged to include this in the party's manifesto.

A key promise from the Congress is the restoration of statehood. “We will fight for the restoration of statehood,” the Congress UT President declared.

He condemned the increased powers granted to the Lieutenant Governor’s administration and called for elections only after statehood is restored. “All grievances will be addressed only when we regain power,” he added, criticizing the Reorganization Act for diminishing political authority.

Vikar Rasool also assured that issues faced by daily wagers would be prioritized in their manifesto. He expressed no objection to granting more powers to the state police and reiterated the party’s stance on Article 370, promising to address it once Congress is back in power.

SRINAGAR — Former Minister and Vice President of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, Usman Majid, has indicated his departure from the party led by Altaf Bukhari.

According to the Srinagar-based news gathering agency KDC, this development is evident due to changes made in his social media profiles, where references to the Apni Party have been conspicuously removed.

Moreover, a press release issued on Monday by Majid's office, titled "Political workers from different political parties join forces with former minister Usman Majid in Bandipora," notably omitted any mention of the Apni Party, further hinting at his imminent exit.

Majid, a two-time MLA from the Bandipora assembly segment and former Minister of Planning & Development in J&K, has a long-standing political history, previously aligned with the Congress before joining the Apni Party.

Sources close to the matter revealed ongoing discussions between Majid and the Congress high command over the past weeks, indicating a probable reunion with his former party.

The potential return to Congress, along with associates like Imtiyaz Parray from the Sonawari assembly segment, is a huge setback for the Apni Party, founded by Altaf Bukhari, a former minister in the PDP-BJP government.

Majid's exit comes at a critical juncture as Jammu and Kashmir prepares for upcoming assembly elections, the first since its transition to a Union Territory and the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

Political analysts view Majid’s departure as part of a larger trend where leaders disillusioned with recent electoral performances are reassessing their political affiliations. Earlier instances include Khursheed Alam’s exit from Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference to rejoin PDP, pointing to a broader realignment within the region’s political turf. Also, former J&K minister Syed Basharat Bukhari rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) this month.