People have not forgotten Article 370, it lives in our heart: Mehbooba Mufti

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday (December 23) said she will not contest any election until Article 370 is restored.

“When it comes to Assembly polls, I will not fight any elections until and unless Jammu and Kashmir’s own constitution is brought back, until Article 370 is restored,” Mufti told NDTV.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief’s comments come on the day when the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) swept the maiden District Development Council (DDC) elections in J&K.

Related News: PAGD bags 100-plus seats in DDC polls

The PAGD, a seven-party alliance including the PDP, won 110 seats while the BJP bagged 75 in the elections for 280 constituencies. Results were declared in 278 seats and counting of votes in two have been deferred.

Talking about the results of DDC polls, Mufti said people have not forgotten Article 370 and they would fight until their last breath.

“People have voted en masse for the alliance. It is loud and clear for Delhi to understand that people have not forgotten, Article 370 still lives in our hearts and minds and we will fight for it until our last breath,” she told the news channel.

On fighting future elections as part of the PAGD and a possible power tussle between her party and the National Conference (NC), she said, “We have been rivals, but for the larger cause of J&K, we can all get together. We are Kashmiris at the end of the day. We are not talking only about elections but for the larger cause of restoring what was lost.”

She also said that she is not in chief minster’s race. “Whenever Assembly polls are held we will sit together and discuss (on Chief Ministership). I am not in the race.”

Earlier today, she had said the elections conducted in peace and fairness was victory for democracy but added that the situation on ground “was far from ideal”.

“An election conducted in peace and with fairness is a victory for democracy. But the situation on the ground was far from ideal considering the odds against which the Gupkar Alliance fought the elections,” she tweeted.