Agencies:

Sajad Lone’s exiting PAGD no surprise: BJP leader

Senior BJP leader and former J&K Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday said there was no surprise element in the departure of Sajad Lone-led People’s Conference from the Gupkar alliance as “fall of this opportunistic” amalgam was inevitable.

Sajad Lone on Tuesday announced his party’s exit from the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), citing “breach of trust” and saying some constituents of the seven-member grouping had fielded proxy candidates in the recent District Development Council (DDC) elections.

Reacting to the development, Gupta claimed that the formation of the PAGD was nothing but “marriage of convenience” between various political entities in the valley to save their “sinking ships”.