Decision to boycott upcoming elections in people's interest: PDP

A day after its zonal president resigned from the party, the Peoples Democratic Party said on Wednesday that its decision to boycott the upcoming panchayat and civic polls was in the interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"PDP's decision is clear and has been taken in the interest of the people of the state. Anyone defying the party directive (by taking part in the polls) shall be treated (as) his own decision and may not be deemed as (a) party person," party general secretary Faqir Chand Bhagat said in a statement.

Bhagat said the party was firm that till the Centre takes any concrete decision for the protection of Article 35A of the Constitution, the validity of which was challenged in the Supreme Court, no such initiative should be taken to "create confusion" among the masses.

"Any attempt to fiddle with this article would create more chaos in the state and would increase the alienation and dissent among the youth of the state," he said.

Commenting on the decision of Nitish Mahajan -- zonal president for Gandhi Nagar constituency of Jammu -- to quit the party, Bhagat said he and Sunny Sangral had decided to contest the upcoming polls and left the party. "They are not members of our party anymore," he added.

Mahajan had on Tuesday announced his resignation from the party along with all his members. Sangral, who unsuccessfully contested the last Assembly polls on a PDP ticket from Samba constituency, has joined the Congress.

The urban local body elections will be conducted in four phases starting October 8, whereas the panchayat polls will be held in nine-phases from November 17.