PDP leaders differ over alliance with BJP

Some partymen want to speak to Congress

As stalemate continued for the 6th day in Jammu and Kashmir over the formation of new government in the wake of death of chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, contradiction within the PDP over continuing its alliance with the BJP has complicated the situation further.

While Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman Mehboob Beg said the party was ready to continue its alliance with the saffron party on the basis of “Agenda of Alliance” reached between the two parties last year, another party leader and parliamentarian Tariq Hameed Karra suggested to party president Mehbooba Mufti to form the next government with the Congress and other secular forces to stop communal forces from spreading in Kashmir.

“Without any preconditions from either side, Mehboobaji will take oath as the chief minister anytime after the seven-day official mourning ends tomorrow (Wednesday),” Beg told reporters here.

However, he did not give a timeframe for the government formation in the state which was brought under governor’s rule on Friday following the death of Mufti a day earlier.

Clarifying further Beg said no conditions has been laid either by the PDP or the BJP for the government formation as all the issues had been thrashed out in “Agenda of Alliance” in 2015. Contrary to party spokesman’s statement, Karra said a new political situation has emerged after the death of Mufti. “A new combination, a new government can be formed given the situation today. My considered opinion is that she (Mehbooba) should open up the ways of talking to Congress. All the secular forces should unite and rise above their political positions to form an alliance with the PDP. PDP has lost its support by tying up with a communal party.”

Terming the RSS and the BJP as “anti-Kashmir” Karra said, “The dangers of RSS and BJP are more felt by Muslims in Chenab valley and Pir Panjal (Jammu region). We may not be feeling the dangers of RSS here (Kashmir) more than what people in these two regions see because they are living among Hindu majority. For them living each day has not been without danger.”

He claimed that the BJP had not respected the “Agenda of Alliance” and stoked up controversial issues.