Congress against political instability in ‘sensitive’ J-K

Asserting that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) owe it to Jammu and Kashmir to continue their alliance in the state, the Congress on Wednesday said that it was not wise to have ‘political instability’ in a sensitive border state.

“PDP-BJP need to continue with their alliance in Jammu and Kashmir. They created it in the first place and it becomes their responsibility to the state to continue with it. J&K is a sensitive border state and it is not wise that BJP is trying to create political instability in such a place,” Congress leader PL Punia told ANI in Ranchi.

He also called on the BJP and PDP to sort out their differences and come to a unanimous decision over forming a government in the state.

Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, meanwhile, told ANI in Jammu that the PDP and BJP need to come to a concrete conclusion for the sake of the state’s development.

“The PDP and the BJP have to decide when they will or won’t form the government. This is the time when there should be an elected government in place. Development work should start now as there is no snow, so infrastructure and construction work can begin,” Azad said.

Amid the see-sawing developments over government formation, the BJP has asserted that they were in favour of continuing their alliance with the PDP.

“We are largely in the favour of the alliance being continued. Prime Minister Modi and Mufti sahab had a vision for the state and we want to continue it. But the constitutional right here is that the PDP has to choose their leader and the Governor has to take the next step towards government formation, only after that can we (BJP) take any concrete decisions,” BJP leader Nirmal Singh told the media.

He added that no official assurances have been made to the Centre and said that the BJP has asked 10 more days from the Governor to respond.

However, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who met Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra yesterday to discuss the government in the state, said that Centre should initiate some confidence building measures which will create a good environment for the new government.

ANI