The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday said the polling in the first two phases in Jammu and Kashmir has established that the people of the State especially Kashmir Valley have seen through the game of piding their votes to facilitate foisting a government through intrigue.“The fact that the overwhelming majority of the people came out to vote is an indication that their mission to bring about a change is taking shape on the ground,” she said while addressing various roadside meetings in Khansahib assembly constituency in Budgam district.
Saifudin Bhat, the party’s candidate for Khansahib constituency was also present on the occasion.Mehbooba said in the past two elections, unfortunately, a group of politicians made themselves available for piding the vote in Kashmir and help promote the inevitability of coalition governments. “But, now that the trend throughout the country has swung in favour of strong single party governments the people in Jammu and Kashmir too have decided to bury the unstable coalition culture. “About a dozen parties have been lunched on election eve in Kashmir with the same objective of fragmentation of vote. However, high turnout of voters would be helpful in defeating this design and establishing a true democratic system in the state which is not vulnerable to such manipulations,” she said.
Mehbooba said the PDP is fighting this election on a visionary but pragmatic agenda. She said we are not promising moon or stars to the people, but we have identified areas of political and economic importance so that the state can be liberated from political uncertainty and the development process is taken to the next level.She said the PDP aspires to make Jammu and Kashmir politically empowered, economically self-reliant, environmentally safe, socially cohesive and culturally vibrant place for its people who have been sufferings since 1947.
Mehbooba said once voted to serve, her party would reform the state government by transforming into Smart Government. “The administration will be made proactive, transparent, accountable and fiscally responsible with the help of the people,” she said and added generating meaningful employment for the youth will remain a prime focus of the PDP government under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.The PDP Chief said the Panchayats and Municipalities will be empowered by giving them more powers and the local authorities will be given incentives and powers to deliver. “Elections to the local bodies would be held with deliberate speed and they will be given functional roles, fiscal responsibilities and financial authority so that they could deliver to the best expectations of the people,” she added.
Referring to the local issues, Mehbooba said the Khansahib area is poised to become one of the best tourist destinations in the state and the PDP will harness the enormous potential which the area offers. She said it was the PDP-led government under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, which established the Doodpathri Development Authority and it will be taken to the next level soon after the PDP assumes the charge of the state.