Srinagar, 28 December:  National Conference (NC) on Monday rejected the coarse assertions of Apni Party President against NC leadership as unfounded and baseless, saying the sordid remarks reeked of his frustration on account of people’s rejection of the King’s Party across J&K.

In a statement,  party Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said, “It’s ironic that the party which comprises of defectors and who are responsible for engineering defections in political parties here is giving lessons on democracy and ethics. The same person who has been serving the underhanded assignments of New Delhi in Kashmir since 1984 has surfaced again to normalize the BJPs unconstitutional actions of Aug 05 2019. Despite having full fledged support from the powers that be, they were still not able to make a mark in the recent DDC elections.”

While rejecting the remarks made by King’s Party against NC leadership he said, “NC was part of a greater NDA alliance, which was an amalgamation of various parties, no less than twenty four. We were part of a bigger NDA alliance which besides us had many other secular parties within its fold. The alliance was guided by a common minimum programme. Nevertheless, despite being a constituent of NDA, we didn’t allow BJP to set its foot in J&k, not to talk of allowing it to fiddle with our status. We fought elections against BJP in J&K whilst being part of NDA and were notably able to keep them at bay. We didn’t allow them to make inroads into J&K. On the contrary the PAGD alliance led by Dr Farooq sahib was not even allowed to campaign properly. Most of our contesting candidates were kept locked up in hotels. Despite that people gave a clear cut mandate in favor of PAGD. The DDC results attested to the universal acceptance of PAGD across J&K. Far from accepting the defeat, the team B of BJP is using nasty methods to garb power in Kashmir by hook or crook.“

Imran said their uncouth remarks are reflective of their failure in the gambit to normalize the biggest blunder committed on the people of J&K, and Ladakh following unilateral, and unconstitutional rescinding of Articles 370, 35-A. “Having been failed on all plots, the Apni Party and its ilk used everything to benefit them in the DDC polls but the people didn’t not allow them any space. The way the King’s Party president is claiming that he will form DDC councils in two to three districts in Kashmir reveal it all. The arithmetic does not support them in any case except by engineering defections. Having failed on that front also; they have now resorted to witch-hunting and intimidation,” he added