BJP pulls out of alliance with PDP in J&K, CM Mehbooba Mufti may resign
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to pull out of the alliance with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
Sources suggested that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her ministers will hand over her resignation to the Governor today. She has called an emergency meeting of her party ministers at 4pm.
The BJP decision was taken as the “situation worsened in the state” and the relationship with the PDP became “untenable”, said national general secretary Ram Madhav.
Speaking at a press conference at the party headquarters in Delhi, Madhav said the decision to withdraw support was taken as “it became untenable for BJP to continue in alliance with PDP in Jammu & Kashmir”.
“Keeping in mind the larger interest of India’s security and integrity, the fact is that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, and in order to control the situation prevailing in the state, we have decided that the rein of power in the state be handed over to the Governor,” Madhav said.
Madhav said “terrorism, violence and radicalisation has increased in the Valley”.
Speaking about the recent murder of senior journalist and Rising Kashmir editor Shujaat Bukhari, Madhav said “fundamental rights have come under threat in the Valley”.
The BJP sought Governor’s rule in the state to “stabilise and improve” the situation in the state.
The two parties had together held power in the India’s northern-most state since 2014.
Madhav said the BJP had decided to support the PDP in 2014 after the Assembly election delivered a fractured mandate and added that the BJP had received support in the Jammu region while voters had voted for the PDP in the Kashmir Valley.
Madhav said the party had spoken to deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta, who belongs to the BJP, along with other leaders of the party before taking the final call.
J&K’s deputy chief minister said BJP ministers had already submitted their resignation to Governor Narinder Nath Vohra.
