Sajad Lone's Party Joins Hands With PDF, JDF To Launch New Political Front In J&K
Leaders of three parties formed a new political front, "People's Alliance for Change," in Jammu and Kashmir to address "leadership and accountability" issues.
Almost eight months after the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, leaders of the Peoples Conference (PC), Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) and the Jamaat-e-Islami-backed Justice and Development Front joined hands to float a new political front called the 'People's Alliance for Change".
The announcement came on Monday at a press conference here by PC chief Sajad Gani Lone, PDF leaders, and leaders of the Justice and Development Front.
The leaders said that the new alliance will work together for the democratic rights of the people. The organisational structure would be collectively announced by the constituent parties soon, they said.
The alliance, according to members, aims to provide an alternative political vision in the Union Territory and address what they termed the 'crisis of leadership and accountability" in J&K.
Lone said the new alliance offers a viable alternative to the people, as they have endured immense suffering. 'We are committed to driving change. The current political landscape is barren, and our alliance offers a viable alternative," he added.
Senior Shia Muslim leader and prominent leader of the PC, Imran Raza Ansari, was also present during the announcement.
Shamim Ahmad Thokar, President of the Justice and Development Front, a political party informally established by a Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI)-affiliated candidate, said, 'We cannot succeed alone. To serve the people effectively, we must unite. Our party will join this alternative alliance."
All three parties were wiped out in the elections, which were held for the first time since the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two union territories. National Conference-Congress alliance emerged victorious, winning 48 seats (NC-42 and Congress 6) in the 90-member assembly.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bagged 29 seats while former CM Mehbooba Mufti's People's Democratic Party (PDP) could win only three seats.
Among the three parties in this new alliance, only Sajad Gani Lone could win the legislative Assembly elections in 2024 from the Handwara Assembly constituency in Kupwara district.
Imran Raza Ansari also fought the election from Pattan Assembly constituency in Baramulla district, but was defeated by Riyaz Ahmad Bedar of the National Conference by a narrow margin of less than 300 votes.
Hakeem Yasin of the PDF fought the Assembly elections from the Khansahib constituency, but was defeated for the first time by the National Conference candidate.
Leaders of the Jamaat backed the Justice and Development Front fought on some seats in the South Kashmir districts. In the Kulgam Assembly constituency, once believed to be the political stronghold of the Jamaat, its backed candidate was defeated by CPI(M)'s Yusuf Tarigama.
First Published:
June 30, 2025, 16:41 IST
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