Won’t contest assembly polls till Article 370 restored In Jammu and Kashmir: Mehbooba Mufti

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has said she will not contest an assembly poll as long as Article 370 is not restored.

“I am never going to fight assembly elections as long as Article 370 is not restored. It’s more of an emotional issue for me,” Mufti was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

“Whenever I took an oath [as J&K Chief Minister], it was under two constitutions — the Constitution of India and the Constitution of J&K — with two flags at the same time,” Mufti said.

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“Maybe it’s very foolish on my part but it’s more of an emotional issue,” she stated. She, however, did not rule out the prospect of fighting Lok Sabha polls.

Mufti was the last chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and had taken the oath under the J&K flag and the Tricolour.

Recently, when asked about the assembly polls in J&K and the role of PDP, she said, “When the election takes place is not my priority but the people of Jammu and Kashmir are facing in difficulties in the aftermath of the 2019 development.”

In August 2019, the BJP-led government revoked Article 370 of the Constitution of India, which granted a special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The move was opposed by various parties, including Mufti’s PDP, as it meant that Kashmir will no longer have a separate constitution but will have to abide by the Indian constitution much like any other state.

“I want to tell the people of Jammu and Kashmir what damage Articles 370 and 35A did to the state,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah told parliament. He added that due to these sections, democracy was never fully put into effect, corruption increased in the state, and no development could take place.