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People's Democratic Party Chairman Mehbooba Mufti. (PTI data map)
She hit out at the National Conference (NC), claiming the party was only contesting the elections to form the government.
People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday ruled out any cooperation with the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir while insisting that it would be impossible to form a government after the assembly elections without her party's participation.
She hit out at the National Conference (NC), claiming the party was only contesting the elections to form the government.
“They have been doing this since 1947. They have no goal other than that. They form alliances just to form a government, for ministerial posts,” she told workers at the party headquarters.
The People's Democratic Party chairperson said her party hopes to fight for its agenda in the elections but insisted it would be impossible to form a government after the parliamentary elections without her party.
“The government we formed had only 16 MLAs (in 2002). God willing, this time, no government will be formed without the participation of the People's Democratic Party,” she added.
However, she said the People's Democratic Party's focus was more on executing its agenda than on the formation of the government.
Mehbooba's party formed a coalition government with the BJP in 2015 but ruled out an alliance with the saffron party after the polls.
The party joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party to resolve the Kashmir issue. Today, there seems to be no scope for this as the BJP has canceled all efforts in this direction, she added.
Later, responding to a question on former NC leader Devinder Singh Rana's remarks that the NC wanted to form the government with the BJP in 2014, the People's Democratic Party chief said that whatever her party does Everything is done openly, unlike the National Committee which does things secretly.
“When we had talks with the central government through Ram Madhav and not with the BJP, everyone knew it was done openly. We came up with an agenda and implemented it. We didn't have people like Omar (Abdul) It was done secretly like that,” she said.
“Rana is saying this now, Ghulam Nabi Azad has said this before, they (NC leaders) met them (BJP) in the dark in Delhi. We Nothing is done in secret,” she said.
The former chief minister said her party has no links with the BJP and “maybe there won't be any”.
The People's Democratic Party chairman also accused some police of “harassing” people.
“Some police have become active again, harassing and arresting people, labeling them 'illegal immigrants'. Many people were arrested in the run-up to the last election.
“I request the local administration to say that the elections will be free and fair, SSPs, SHOs have started harassing people and calling them to the police station, please tell them to stop this activity and stop harassing common people,” she added.
When asked about Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to JK on Wednesday, Mehbooba said he would very much welcome it.
“He wants to come to Kashmir and campaign for his party, he has every right,” she said.
(This report has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)
