Srinagar residents should end poll boycott: PDP patron

PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Sunday appealed to city residents to end their election boycott as it was facilitating "free run" of the ruling National Conference in Srinagar district.

Srinagar: PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Sunday appealed to city residents to end their election boycott as it was facilitating "free run" of the ruling National Conference in Srinagar district.

"No transformation of the historic (Srinagar) city is possible till the NC enjoys a free run in elections in Srinagar facilitated by poll boycott," Sayeed said at a workers meeting at Balhama in Sonwar constituency here.

Sayeed said the share of funds of Srinagar district has been reduced from 5.83 per cent in 2006-07 to 3.29 per cent in 2012-13 within the District Plan of the state.

"Srinagar is crumbling as the infrastructure development is not at all keeping pace with the pressures of increasing urbanisation and tourist inflow. 95 per cent of Srinagar dwellings are unplanned, leading to choking and other social problems with the government busy only in compromises for its survival," he claimed.

Last year the state government had diverted funds worth Rs 48 crore under Central Road Fund and none of the legislators, all belonging to the National Conference, had even raised the issue, he alleged.

Though the 10 legislators from Srinagar and Ganderbal districts are crucial to the NC`s survival in power, the party has taken the residents there for granted considering that there would always be boycott in elections, he said.

"It is for the people to ponder over this situation and decide whether this situation should be allowed to perpetuate at the cost of their interests," the PDP patron said.

PTI

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