Rebel MLAs group rejects Mehbooba’s new demands
BLUNT BUTCHER
JAMMU: Even as the Amit Shah-Mehbooba Mufti talks have hit the roadblock and the chances of the government formation virtually ended, a group of former BJP ministers have renewed their efforts to seek face saver for the ‘dejected and snubbed’ PDP chief by roping in Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Soon after the meeting of BJP high command in the national capital, Jaitley threw open a window for the PDP by reassuring that the Agenda of Alliance will be implemented. This is the assurance, which he had given in Lok Sabha, the day it went recess, which had prompted Mehbooba Mufti to rush to Delhi and have one-to-one interaction with all powerful Amit Shah. Instead of getting an olive branch, she returned with subtle ‘no’ to the undisclosed CBMs of new demands putforth by the PDP.
This time around again, after the media interaction of Jaitley, Mehbooba Mufti has again been motivated by the ‘interested’ lot of her MLAs to visit New Delhi and seek audience with the Finance Minister for final tie-up. Naïve as they are about the BJP hierarchical order, the ‘stake-holders’ in both PDP and BJP are perhaps underestimating the clout of Amit Shah.
The fast changing political scenario has reactivated BJP’s estranged group in Jammu, which does not favour the party to succumb before the whims of, what they call, erratic PDP chief. Leading the vocal group, MLA Ravinder Raina, in his hard hitting statement issued to the media, claimed on Sunday that the BJP was in touch with several PDP legislators who were in favour of government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, but added it will “never” accept new conditions for alliance put forth by Mehbooba Mufti.
And she will be facing humiliation again for which she is habitual now.
“Several PDP legislators who are in favour of formation of government in the State and who also don’t want midterm polls in the State are in touch with the BJP leadership for the formation of government,” BJP legislator Ravinder Raina said.
The Nowshera MLA said the party would stick to the Agenda of Alliance that had been agreed upon with PDP a year ago, adding that any deviation would amount to disrespecting former late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
“There is no question of accepting the new conditions laid down by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the BJP for the formation of government in Jammu and Kashmir. I have come to know that she (Mehbooba) has put forth new conditions, but BJP will never accept them. We will strictly follow the Agenda of Alliance that was agreed upon between the two parties a year ago,” he said.
He said BJP has “several options” to form government in the State, if the alliance with PDP breaks down, but would disclose them “when the time comes”.
The need of the hour for both the alliance partners (PDP and BJP) was to form government based on mutual trust and respect the aspirations of the people of Jammu and the people of Kashmir regions, he said.
“People of Jammu gave a thumping majority to BJP while people of Kashmir voted for PDP, hence it is time for both the parties to provide a democratically elected government to the people, as Governor’s rule is no substitute to it,” Raina said.
Asked whether the BJP would encourage defection within PDP, he said that his party would do no such thing.
“More than half of the legislators who were elected to the Assembly are first timers and none of them wants midterm polls. If the PDP does not come ahead to form the government we will explore other options,” he said.
Raina said BJP will not “surrender” its ideology and would follow its “nationalistic policies”, including in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Area wise and population wise Jammu is far bigger than Kashmir Valley, but we have less number of Assembly seats, we will continue to fight for the delimitation of the Assembly seats, we will continue to fight for the refugees from west Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK),” he said.
Raina said that it is a misfortune of the people of the State that there is no government in the State for the past two months, post the demise of ex Chief Minister. On being asked by youth about any new conditionslaid down by PDP, Raina categorically said that there is no scope for anything beyond the already agreed Agenda of Alliance. He added that the core issues mentioned in Agenda of Alliance such as delimitation of Assembly seats, rights and settlement of all the issues pertaining to the PoJK and West Pakistan refugees, proper rehabilitation of people staying in border and LoC areas, the implementation of all constitutional rights of SC/ST and empowerment of Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies by incorporating 73rd and 74th amendment of Constitution in J and K should be addressed first, before even thinking about any further conditions.
Addressing the youth conference, MLA Akhnoor Rajeev Sharma said that BJP is committed towards the welfare of people of J and K. He said that it was our Prime Minister Narendra Modi who announced a mega package of Rs 80,000 crore for our State and it is our responsibility to utilise this package in a proper way.
Peominent among those who attented the conference were Ajay Pargal, Karan Sharma, Kulbir Charak, Ajay Vaid, Ishant Gupta, Dr Gurpreet Singh, Rajat Mahajan, Ankit Gupta, Rahul Sharma, Sunil Sharma, Himanshu Gupta, Amit Gupta, Tushar Mahajan, Rohit slathia and Rohit Gupta.
