Budget may spoil chances of PDP-BJP truck

FM hardly offered anything on economic front for J&K

 As the suspense over formation of the new government continues in Jammu and Kashmir, omission of state from the Union Budget has further decreased the chances of re-stitching of PDP-BJP alliance.

While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been demanding from last almost two months that New Delhi should initiate J&K-specific confidence building measures (CBMs) ahead of re-stitching its alliance with the BJP, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley hardly offered anything on the economic front for the restive state. Since the death of chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7, his daughter and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has put several conditions for continuing its alliance with the BJP.

She has sought assurances from the Centre on time-bound implementation of the agenda the PDP and the BJP alliance had worked out last year.

Issues not addressed

Apart from return of NHPC-owned power projects to J&K, inclusion of Jammu and Srinagar cities in the list of smart cities and liberal funding to flood-hit state were some of the key issues that were expected to be find a mention in the Budget.

The latest situation, political experts believe, has put Mehbooba in a tight spot as opposition National Conference and Congress have already ridiculed the PDP’s claims of getting maximum for J&K out of its alliance with the BJP.

Kashmir’s renowned economist, Prof Nissar Ali agrees that people of the state had expectations from the Union Budget.

“We were expecting the Center to announce ways and means for helping state to buy at least one power project from NHPC or announce a financial package to help state augment its power generation capacity.

The Center could have chipped in with support to help the state clear the power liability of more than Rs 7,000 crore,” he said.

Omar lashes out at PDP-BJP alliance

Former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday lashed out at the PDP-BJP alliance saying the ambiguity in government formation has adversely affected the political atmosphere in the State, DHNS reports from Srinagar.

“PDP’s efforts to maintain ambiguity over government formation are based on the presumption that this delay can be marketed as some sort of a moral stand that the party has suddenly found,” he said while addressing party workers in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

“Now that (PDP chief) Mehbooba Mufti has herself admitted that the people of J&K did not benefit from the 10-month long PDP-BJP government, one wonders who the actual beneficiary of this alliance was. With every passing day, the uncertainty in J&K keeps growing and for a State torn by conflict and political turmoil this has potential long-term implication on peace and stability,” Omar, Working President of opposition National Conference said. J&K is under Governor’s rule since January 8 following the death of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who breathed his last on January 7 in AIIMS, New Delhi.

Lashing out at the PDP, he said, “The PDP was again out to form a govt with those who were now openly advocating ‘one, last open war’ against the Muslims of the country. Are these the people PDP continues to be in alliance with?”