Rashid’s AIP Strikes Pre-Poll Alliance with Ex-Jama’at Candidates

Rashid’s AIP Strikes Pre-Poll Alliance with Ex-Jama’at Candidates

In a significant pre-election development, the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) led by former MLA Engineer Rashid has announced a pre-poll alliance with ex-Jama’at-e-Islami (JeI) candidates. The partnership, which was confirmed in a statement by AIP, will see both parties offering mutual support across crucial constituencies in the Kashmir Valley.

The statement reveals that AIP has agreed to back JeI-supported candidates in the districts of Kulgam and Pulwama, while JeI, despite its current ban, will throw its weight behind AIP candidates across other key areas in the region.

“This alliance is aimed at strengthening secular forces and ensuring that candidates aligned with the interests of the people of Kashmir win the upcoming elections,” the AIP statement said.

Jama’at-e-Islami, banned by the Indian government for its alleged links to terrorism, had seen many of its members sidelined from electoral politics. However, the re-entry of its former members under this alliance is seen as a bold political move by Rashid's AIP.

With elections looming, this alliance could alter the political dynamics in Kashmir, raising questions about the role of JeI-backed figures in the region’s electoral future. Political analysts are already speculating on the impact of this partnership, with many expecting a divided response from both voters and rival political parties.