SRINAGAR: The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) headed by Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, has forged a pre-poll alliance with banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), marking emergence of another front in J&K Assembly polls, which analysts say would be a cause of worry for the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).The decision to forge an alliance was taken in a joint meeting of leaders of the two parties on Sunday — the AIP delegation was led by Er Rashid and chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, and JeI’s by Ghulam Qadir Wani. The parties were in talks for an alliance since Rashid’s release from jail on an interim bail last week.“Both parties have agreed that AIP will support JeI-backed candidates in Kulgam and Pulwama while JeI will support AIP candidates across the Valley,” a joint statement issued by the two parties said.It stated that in constituencies where both AIP and JeI have fielded candidates, the alliance will be involved in a “friendly contest”.“The goal is to secure a resounding victory for AIP and JeI candidates, ensuring that people of J&K have strong representatives who can articulate their sentiments and aspirations,” reads the statement.Er Rashid said the main aim of the alliance is to raise the voice of Kashmiris. “We will fight for a solution to the Kashmir issue,” he said.The coming together of the two parties is a worry for NC and PDP, analysts say. “PDP’s support base had come from Jamaat. Jamaat cadres had been voting for PDP in past elections. Now with the party joining hands with Er Rashid’s party, PDP’s votes will be affected not only in its stronghold south Kashmir but also in north and central Kashmir,” said a political analyst.“The alliance will be worrying for NC. If Jamaat fully aligns with Rashid’s party which has strong support in north Kashmir and both parties manage to transfer their votes to others, things will be interesting,” the analyst said.
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