SRINAGAR: Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday welcomed public debate over government formation, saying even those who do not believe in electoral politics are offering their advices which the party welcomes.
Talking to a Srinagar based news agency, PDP Chief Spokesman Naeem Akhtar said it has set a new trend in the State to contribute to democratic process and make political parties accountable to public opinion.
While reacting to the allegations of National Conference that PDP was responsible for imposing Governor’s rule as it delayed the formation of the new government, Akhar said, “It is not important what one political party says about another but what PDP takes very seriously is the interest of the opinion leaders and trend setters.”
“The government formation has become a protracted process because of the fractured mandate. But at the same time the way the journalists, columnists, editorial writers and social media activists are taking deep interest in possible political alliances augers well for the democratic system which in the past had known none of this deliberating,” said Akhtar, adding that even those parties who don’t believe in electoral system have been offering their advices which the party welcomes.
He said NC had by contrast enjoyed a free run in whatever it did and none of their actions had triggered any debate but PDP welcomes the new enthusiasm which would ensure that the interests of the people and the State could not be sold out to any party any more.
Recalling NC’s decision to join the BJP led NDA in 1998, Akhtar said, “The party had no compulsions to join the BJP as it had three fourth majority in State Assembly. Inspite of that party joined BJP without even a common minimum programme with one just condition that Omar Abdullah should be appointed as junior minister.”
“In the bargain the State lost seven major hydel projects to NHPC and in return the got POTA, taskforce, a ban on Shahtoos and a ban on recruitment in government,” he said.
The PDP spokesman said that in a similar way, NC-Congress alliance “without a common minimum programme ensured Omar Abdullah for six years and support of the Centre for him. In the process, the State lost JK Bank and two more hydel power projects.”
He further said that it is true that people have voted in the last Assembly elections with lot of hopes “but it is also a fact that PDP didn’t have enough seats to form the stable government by itself. We have to look for alliance partners but we will take a decision only after we are satisfied that the government we form is able to respond to the needs and aspirations.”
