Budgam, Oct 26: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today launched a blistering attack on the National Conference (NC) leadership during a workers’ convention in Budgam, accusing them of betraying the very people who once trusted them with their votes.
Addressing a massive gathering, Mehbooba Mufti extended her full support to Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, PDP’s candidate from Budgam, calling him a “sincere, grounded and people-centric leader who has stood by his community in times of crisis.”
Coming down heavily on the Omar Abdullah-led government, Mehbooba said NC’s rule brought nothing but misery and repression for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. “During Omar Abdullah’s tenure, thousands of our young boys were jailed, and ordinary people were pushed to the wall. Those who claimed to be the voice of the people turned their backs the moment they tasted power,” she said.
Recalling Omar Abdullah’s previous victory from Budgam, the PDP President accused him of abandoning the constituency and betraying public trust.“Budgam gave him a historic mandate, but he repaid it with silence and indifference. The people who voted for him in hope were left disillusioned and unheard,” she remarked.
Mehbooba Mufti said Budgam, a politically significant district, had been used as a ladder by NC to climb to power but never prioritized when it came to governance or development. “For years, Budgam has been treated like a political outpost by those who only remember it during elections. The time has come to choose leadership that truly belongs to the people,” she asserted.
She appealed to the people of Budgam to unite behind Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi and the PDP’s vision of dignity, justice, and accountable leadership. “PDP stands firm with the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their fight for rights and dignity. Real change will come only when power returns to those who feel the pain of the people,” she added.(KNS)
