Sajad seeks Bukhari’s support to consolidate north Kashmir votes

Srinagar, Apr 20: J&K Peoples Conference President Sajad Lone sought Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari’s support in north Kashmir for the upcoming Parliamentary elections, saying it is important to consolidate votes to prevent “fragmentation that has historically favoured the National Conference”.
Addressing a press conference, Lone said, “It’s high time we unite to represent the true will of the majority in north Kashmir. We extend our hand to the Apni Party, seeking their crucial support in Baramulla, just as we vow to back them in Srinagar to defeat the forces that have long betrayed the precious mandate of Kashmiris.”
Presenting a statistical analysis, Sajad said, “Since 1975, with the sole exception of 1996 elections, an astonishing nine out of ten MPs from Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency have hailed from NC.”
He attributed this anomaly to the fragmentation of votes, lamenting, “While the NC’s vote share has plummeted from a staggering 65% in 1982 to a mere 29% in 2019, they still emerged victorious due to the division among anti-NC votes,” he said.
Citing the 2019 elections as a glaring example, the PC chief revealed that although the NC secured only 133,426 votes out of the 455,999 cast, a staggering 322,573 votes were cast against them. “This means the NC secured a paltry 29% of the vote, while a resounding 71% of voters rejected their mandate. Alarmingly, for every single vote cast in their favour, 2.5 votes were cast against them. This travesty must end,” he stressed.
Lone affirmed that PC leadership had engaged in constructive discussions with the Apni Party representatives and for now, their focus remains solely on forging a strategic alliance with the party.