Doda: In a bid to woo the over five lakh voters of Chenab Valley, PDP on Thursday launched its campaign for the November 25 assembly polls in the region and showcased party patron Mufti Mohd Sayeed's "peace with dignity" rule to counter senior Congress leader and native Ghulam Nabi Azad's development agenda.
The PDP leadership, led by party Chief and Anantnag MP Mehbooba Mufti, is on a four-day long campaign trail to reach out to voters of the six assembly segments of Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts of Chenab valley.
The PDP is showcasing the achievements of the Mufti rule from 2002 to 2005 to woo the voters.
Chenab Valley, which has six Assembly segments spread over Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts, will go to polls in first phase on November 25. In 2008 Assembly polls, five of the six seats of Chenab valley has been bagged by Congress except Kishtwar seat which was held by Sajjad Kitchloo of NC.
"We appeal to the people to give PDP a chance to serve them on the strength of its performance during its brief tenure in the government between 2002 and 2005 and its visionary agenda under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed," Mehbooba told a public rally here today.
Mufti ruled the state in coalition with Congress from 2002 to 2005 on the slogan of 'peace with dignity' and overall development of Jammu and Kashmir. He was replaced by Azad.
Facing tough Challenge to retain the five seats in his home turf, Azad on the other hand urged the people for their support to enable him to fulfil his dream of converting Chenab Valley into a 'Model Region' of the state. On the campaign trail in Chenab valley's Kishtwar, Azad showcased his achievements as CM from 2006 to 2008.
Appealing to the people of Chinab Valley to vote wholeheartedly for her party in the forthcoming assembly elections, Mehbooba said the people in the mountainous region have in the past voted for all parties except PDP, and it was time that they gave a chance to this party which has established itself as a credible alternative to the now collapsing Congress and National Conference.
The PDP chief said the Chenab Valley region has in the
past voted for Congress, National Conference and even BJP but that could not bring about any change in their living. She said the area continues to face huge development deficit in construction of roads, health care, education, power and all other sectors.
"Until now people have been supporting the National Conference and Congress by giving them majority in the assembly but in return they only brought disgrace to the people and compromised the state's interests," she said.
"We understand your problems and concerns better than anyone else and it is only with your support that we can change the course of history," she said and added that the performance of PDP both in the government and in opposition is in front of everyone to judge.
Mehbooba said Jammu and Kashmir is currently facing tough challenges of instability, mis-governance, unemployment, corruption, development deficit and host of other issues and it is the PDP only which has a comprehensive plan and vision to address these issues.
"Your support is crucial for us at this point of time to allow us to take the state forward and rewrite a new chapter in its history," she told the rally.
Mehbooba said in the Chenab Valley, it was a direct fight between PDP and Congress.
"It is now up to the people how strong a government they want to give the state under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed which can effectively tackle the challenges facing the state," Mehbooba said.
She said new challenges have emerged with the failure of National Conference and Congress ? that is "the rise of forces that are playing dangerous politics by dividing the state on communal and religious lines and that is the last thing our pluralistic and inclusive state can afford".
She said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah presided over the "most corrupt and inefficient regime in the state" which not only unleashed huge atrocities on the people but even got disgrace to the state's authority by not working wisely, and urged the electorate to elect a PDP government.
