Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti Friday claimed the National Conference and Congress are facing a worst defeat than in the Lok Sabha elections but the imminent change can become more purposeful and productive if the PDP is given a clear mandate in the assembly elections.Addressing an impressive public meeting in Inderwal assembly constituency of Kishtawar district, she said the Chinab Valley is looking enthusiastic about joining the winds of change blowing across the state.Mehbooba said wherever she went during her current tour of the region; she could clearly see an unprecedented expression of energy for changing the present rotten system in the state amid the belief of the people that PDP is the only option available to them, after the collapse of Congress and the National Conference.She said all the sections of the society in the Chinab region have joined hands to bring a change in government and political system like the people in Kashmir Valley.The PDP president said there was a significant shift among the sections of the people who had voted in Lok Sabha elections for a change at the national level with their preference at the state level now revolving only around the PDP.“I am glad to see people rising above caste and religion lines to close their ranks behind the PDP in the hope of brining in a government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and reviving the process of reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation in the state,” said Mehbooba
Mehbooba said the Congress as a major partner in the outgoing government has no achievement to show to those people who had voted for it last time in the hope of accelerated development. Instead the minister belonging to this party tried to outdo each other and their corrupt colleagues in the NC to become part of largest ever scams and scandals.“The party (Congress) has presented same faces who have exploited the people for the last over a decade and among them even ministers have been given mandates who were either dismissed from the government on corruption charges or their portfolios were snatched,” she said adding the anger of the people against Congress and the NC has reached its peak and will result in a worse punishment to them than they had tasted in the last elections.Expressing her confidence that the candidates of the PDP in Chinab Valley will be elected so as to make this region a participant in change, Mehbooba said the present dispensation has politicized every government project and work in the region so as to benefit its workers and relatives.She said in spite of being the richest region in natural resources the Chinab Valley has been pushed into deprivation, poverty and backwardness.“There are bungling in the execution of MGNREGA, PMGSY, Panchayat funds and every single scheme launched by the government has been subverted there,” said Mehbooba.The PDP President said 500 youth have been rendered jobless by forcing the Rattle Power Project to stop work on its execution.
“This is a direct result of harassment caused by the NC and Congress leaders to the project authorities for mere considerations of restricting the employment only to those recommended by them,” she added.Mehbooba said the new government will review the issue of VDCs and take an appropriate decision. She said bad road connectivity is the major cause of concern in the entire region and if voted to form the government PDP will seriously address this issue. “Besides upgrading the existing road network, PDP will take up new project so that the people will get relief,” she said. Mehbooba said the people living in Inderwal and other areas of the region are facing huge hardship due to the lack of ration, kerosene oil, LPG gas and other essential commodities and demanded the administration should work to address the grievances of the people. She said due to non-availiablity of ration in government depots people have been facing a lot of hardships. “The entire region is facing scarcity of ration but the situation is very bad in the remote areas,” Mehbooba added.Senior party leader, Peer Mohammad Hussain; Abdul Majid, candidate for Inderwal constituency; Abdul Rehman Kashmiri and Talib Hussain were also present and spoke on the occasion.