PDP accuses BJP of closing doors on J&K govt formation
JAMMU: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is of the view that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has closed the doors for government formation and may be looking for other alternatives.
“Our impression is they (BJP) have not only closed the door, but rather banged it. We don’t think there will be any movement if they don’t realise that J&K is not only our, but their concern also,” said a senior PDP leader.
BJP general secretary Ram Mad havh ad said on Friday ,“We are not accepting any new demands. Even if there is a demand, it can be considered after the formation of the government. But forming a government on the basis of conditions is not possible.”
Contesting his point, PDP MP and senior leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh said the party has not put down any new conditions.
“We have only asked for assurances from the Centre on the demands that are there in the agenda of alliance. There is some miscommunication and both parties should sit and clear the air,” said Beigh.
The PDP leadership feels the BJP may be looking for alternatives on government formation. A section of the party feels there are chances the BJP may try to engineer a split in the PDP. The BJP has 25 MLAs while the PDP has 27 — 44 MLAs are required for government formation.
“If they try to give some semblance of a democratic government with such tactics, then they will be turning back the clock. The biggest complaint of the ordinary Kashmiri is that Delhi doesn’t trust him and if the BJP tries to make any such attempt, it will be sabotaging its own national interest,” said a senior PDP leader.
The BJP, however, said both parties have agreed to an alliance by framing a document — agenda-of-alliance — and are not walking out of it. “When Mufti Sayeed was alive, it was decided to review the performance of the agenda after a year but unfortunately, he passed away before it. The two parties can do it again but for this, there has to be a government and for that, the PDP has to elect its leader,” said former deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh.
Pressing for a speedy resolution to the crisis, a PDP leader said, “We are not saying anything outside the Constitution. We are equally nationalistic. But when the sense of alienation has grown deep in the Valley despite massive voting only a year ago, some immediate measures need to be taken.”