Jammu: Apni Party is determined to participate in the upcoming elections independently, regardless of the circumstances, according to Ghulam Hassan Mir, a senior leader of the party, in an exclusive conversation with News Insider 24×7.
He expressed his view that none of the political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have a comprehensive political agenda for the entire population; instead, they seem to be engaged in senseless politics.
Mir took a swipe at the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has gained significant political strength in the country. He criticized them for readily accepting power from the BJP and obeying its directives, and suggested that these parties should avoid pointing fingers at others and instead introspect about their own actions. He also mentioned that if the BJP were to offer a position to Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the president of the National Conference, he would likely accept it due to his strong ties with the BJP. Mir implied that such political connections with the BJP can offer protection to tainted politicians.
Mir explained that the current political landscape in India is primarily divided into two major groups: the NDA Alliance and the INDIA Alliance. The National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party belong to the INDIA Alliance, whereas the Apni Party is not aligned with any party at the union territory or national level.
According to Mir, any political party in Jammu and Kashmir that is genuinely committed to serving the people and improving their lives should refrain from forming alliances. Instead, they should focus on individual efforts to better serve the public. He cited the example of Odisha, where the Patnayak Government successfully brought the state onto the path of development and prosperity by not creating disputes with the Central Government and wholeheartedly supporting its initiatives. The Apni Party in Jammu and Kashmir follows a similar approach and is ready to work with any party in power at the center to address the issues of the people.
Regarding the All Party meeting scheduled to be held in Jammu and led by Dr. Farooq Abdullah, a senior leader of the Apni Party, Mir criticized the leaders of the meeting for their inconsistency. He pointed out that these leaders refer to themselves as the Gupkar Alliance in Kashmir but avoid using the same name in Jammu because the people of Jammu do not support the Gupkar Alliance. Instead, they opt for the term “All Party meeting” in Jammu, leading Mir to characterize them as inconsistent, akin to chameleons.