CPM to boycott Jammu and Kashmir panchayat polls, says Centre's decision to go ahead with election shows 'arrogance'

Srinagar: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) announced on Monday that it will not take part in the upcoming panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir. [caption id=“attachment_4388907” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Ghulam Nabi Malik, the state Secretary of the party, said here that the Central government’s decision to go ahead with the polls despite a boycott by the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) only showed its arrogance. Jammu and Kashmir is presently under Governor’s Rule. “The government should have convened an all-party meeting to discuss this issue. Unfortunately that has not been done. Keeping the prevailing situation in consideration, the CPM has decided not to participate in these polls,” a party statement said. The statement said the CPM was for empowerment at the grassroots level but given the present situation, it was highly unlikely that people would participate in these elections.