Jammu and Kashmir MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh-led Awami Ittehad Party on Sunday announced a pre-poll alliance with former leaders of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2019, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs declared the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir an “unlawful association” for a period of five years for activities “prejudicial to internal security and public order”.

In February, the ministry extended the ban for five years.

However, several prominent members of the Jamaat-e-Islami are contesting the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir as independent candidates.

Quoting a statement by the Awami Ittehad Party, The Hindu reported on Sunday that a delegation of the party led by its chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi met with a delegation of the Jamaat-e-Islami led by Ghulam Qadir Wani.

“Following comprehensive deliberations, it was agreed that AIP would support JEI-backed candidates in Kulgam and Pulwama,” the newspaper quoted a spokesperson from the Awami Ittehad Party as saying. “Similarly, JEI will throw its support behind AIP candidates across Kashmir.”

In areas where both Awami Ittehad Party and Jamaat-e-Islami have fielded candidates, the alliance has agreed to a “friendly contest”.

“The goal is to secure a resounding victory for AIP and JEI candidates, ensuring that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have strong representatives who can articulate their sentiments and aspirations,” said the spokesperson.

Jammu and Kashmir will head to the polls in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8, alongside that of Haryana.

These will be the first Assembly elections in the region after the abrogation of Article 370 by the Narendra Modi government on August 5, 2019. Article 370 gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

On Wednesday, Sheikh walked out of Delhi’s Tihar Jail, a day after the Patiala House Court granted him bail till October 2 to campaign for the Assembly elections.

Sheikh had been in jail since August 2019 in connection with a terror-funding case filed by the National Investigation Agency. He was held under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Speaking to reporters outside the prison, the 57-year-old Lok Sabha MP from Baramulla vowed to fight Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s narrative of “Naya Kashmir”.

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