The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), led by Lok Sabha MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, has entered into a strategic alliance with former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) ahead of the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.
“A joint meeting was held today in which the AIP delegation was led by AIP Supremo and chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, while the JEI delegation was led by Ghulam Qadir Wani. Prominent JEI members participated in the discussions,” the AIP said in a statement.
The Jamaat-e-Islami, banned by the Indian government under anti-terror laws in 2019, saw its ban extended for another five years earlier this year. Despite this, several former JEI leaders are contesting the assembly elections as independent candidates, supported in part by this new alliance with AIP.
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An AIP spokesperson said the alliance was formed in the larger interest of the region’s population, aiming for a “resounding victory” for AIP and JEI-backed candidates.
The alliance will see AIP backing JEI candidates in key districts like Kulgam and Pulwama, while JEI will reciprocate by supporting AIP candidates in other constituencies. In areas where both parties have fielded candidates, including Langate, Devsar, and Zainapora, a “friendly contest” has been agreed upon.
“Both parties underscored the importance of unity in resolving the Kashmir issue and promoting a lasting and dignified peace in the region.
“They highlighted the rapidly evolving political landscape, both regionally and internationally, and stressed that neither JEI nor AIP can afford to remain passive observers,” the spokesperson said.
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Engineer Rashid on BJP’s proxy label
Earlier in the day, Sheikh Rashid, who was granted interim bail to campaign for his party, refuted allegations of being a proxy for the BJP, asserting that his electoral success in the general elections was a reflection of the public’s sentiments against the Modi government’s ‘Naya Kashmir’ initiative.
Rashid said those labelling him as a BJP proxy should be “ashamed of themselves,” as he considers himself the only mainstream leader to have faced persecution from the ruling party.
“The people who accuse me of being a BJP proxy should feel ashamed. I am the only one who was victimised by the BJP. While Omar and Mehbooba were kept in SKICC for several months during the abrogation, I was the only MLA jailed in Tihar,” he said.
“He (Abdullah) could neither become (Mahatma) Gandhi nor Subash Chandra Bose and same way Mehbooba neither became (queen) Razia Sultan nor Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar. They are puppets, rubber stamps…” Rashid, who defeated Abdullah in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seats by over two lakh votes, said.
With PTI inputs