Leaving INDIA Bloc in tatters, the Chief of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday ‘explicitly’ turned down the proposal of Omar Abdullah to remain united in their fight against the BJP-led Government at the centre during the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, PDP Chief announced her party’s decision to go alone and contest against the National Conference candidates on all three Kashmir valley Lok Sabha seats.

With this final announcement, PDP has finally sealed the fate of the INDIA bloc in Jammu and Kashmir. On Tuesday Omar said that the People’s Democratic Party may not field candidates against his party in the Kashmir Valley and that both parties are integral part of the INDIA alliance.

The announcement by the PDP to go alone has also left behind the Congress leadership in the lurch. The arch-rivals-- National Conference and the PDP were both banking on the support of the Congress party in the polls.

In the coming days, the Congress party is expected to take a final stand on whether they wish to remain non-partisan or willing to support either of the two during the Lok Sabha polls.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Srinagar on Wednesday Mehbooba Mufti told reporters that the NC has left her party with no other option other than to contest the election on the three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir.

“They (NC) have left no option for us other than to field candidates and contest the elections,” Mufti said. The party’s parliamentary board would take a final call on the candidates, she added.

In response, Omar Abdullah maintained that the PDP was going back on the understanding reached between the constituents of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) for the District Development Council (DDC) elections in 2020.

“What can I say about this? It is their own will. How can I stop them? We announced candidates for the three seats of Kashmir based on their formula,” the former chief minister of J-K said.