Pulwama: Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief and Lok Sabha member Engineer Rashid stated that the alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) is aimed at “raising the voice of Kashmiris.”
He made these remarks after announcing a political partnership between the two parties for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.
Rashid emphasised, “The main goal of the alliance is to amplify the concerns of Kashmiris. We are committed to finding a solution to the Kashmir issue. We will mutually support each other’s candidates, though there will be friendly contests in some constituencies.”
When asked about National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah’s allegation that Rashid is aligned with the BJP and RSS, Rashid dismissed the claims, saying, “They (NC) are frightened, and I advise Farooq Abdullah not to be afraid. Change is coming, and it cannot be halted by making baseless statements.”
Abdullah had raised concerns about Rashid’s release from jail right before the elections, suggesting that it was part of a strategy to divide the Muslim vote in favor of the BJP and RSS.
The Union Home Ministry had banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, extending the ban earlier this year by another five years.
The AIP and JEI alliance aims to “champion the cause of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” as stated by the AIP. During a joint meeting, both parties discussed a seat-sharing agreement for the elections. AIP will support JEI candidates in Kulgam and Pulwama, while JEI will back AIP candidates in other areas of Kashmir, with friendly contests planned for Langate, Devsar, and Zainapora constituencies.
Meanwhile, Congress and the National Conference have also formed an alliance for the elections, with NC contesting 51 seats and Congress contesting 32, leaving room for smaller allies.
These will be the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. There are 90 assembly constituencies in total, with 7 reserved for SCs and 9 for STs. The elections will be held in three phases: on September 18, 25, and October 1, with the counting set for October 8.
