Seven parties form united front in Kashmir

Seven political parties including the Communists Wednesday announced the formation of a "People's United Front", in part to contest Lok Sabha and assembly elections next year.

Leaders of the the CPI-M, CPI, Lok Janshakti Party, People's Democratic Front (PDF) and the Samajwadi Party and others made the announcement at a rally here.

Muhammad Yusuf Tarigami, state general secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, said: "Like-minded parties have been working together in Jammu and Kashmir over many issues.

"In our opinion, Jammu and Kashmir needs an alternative political initiative and a broader platform to solve the problems faced by the people.

"We believe today's initiative is not an end in itself but the new beginning of a new people's movement."

Tarigami said the People's United Front would not remain restricted to these seven political parties.

"We are inviting social organisations, intellectuals and all others to join the front so that people's problems are solved. The creation of the front is not aimed at just the coming elections."

More than 500 people from different parts of the Kashmir Valley attended the rally held in the Sher-e-Kashmir Municipal Park in Srinagar.

Others who addressed the meeting included Hakim Muhammad Yasin of PDF, Sanjay Saraf of Lok Janshakti Party and Abdul Rehman Tukru of Communist Party of India.