J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik didn’t find anything wrong with the PDP-BJP coalition but had problems with the grand coalition among the PDP, National Conference and the Congress, the NC president Omar Abdullah said at a press conference here today. The NC president also said that his party had offered support to the PDP to protect the special status of J&K under the constitution of India.
Omar criticised the Governor’s decision to dissolve the Assembly after the PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti staked claim to government formation after forging an alliance with the NC and the Congress.
“Governor sahib didn’t find BJP and PDP alliance unholy. That was billed as the amalgamation of the North and South pole. But in our case he did. Governor’s defence doesn’t make a valid case ,”Omar said. “Our alliance (PDP, NC, Congress) was a viable coalition. In our case, our differences on certain issues are very less as compared to what the previous two parties had.”
He also highlighted the fact of the fax machine of the Governor’s office failing to receive PDP letter staking claim to government formation. “It was very strange that the fax machine at the Governor’s residence didn’t receive our fax but swiftly issued one regarding the assembly dissolution. We have witnessed something like this for the first time,” Omar said. “It seems that the fax machine had only outgoing but not incoming facility”.
Omar justified his support to Mehbooba Mufti, saying he did it to protect the special status of J&K which was under threat under the BJP government at the centre.
Omar also slammed the senior BJP leader Ram Madhav for claiming that the NC and the PDP had received instructions from Pakistan to come together to form the government.
Decision to challenge governor rests with PDP, says Omar Abdullah
“It’s unfortunate that a senior BJP leader has said we have got instructions from Pakistan. I challenge Ram Madhav sahib & his associates to prove this with evidence. You are disrespecting sacrifices of my colleagues who refused to dance at Pakistan’s instructions & died.”
When asked whether the NC would challenge the Governor’s decision to dissolve assembly in the court, Omar said only the PDP can do it. “The PDP staked the claim to government formation. So legally the decision rests with them,” Omar said.
Meanwhile, the BJP has called for an urgent meeting with all its MLAs today to decide the future course of action, BJP state president Ravinder Raina said. The party wants the Assembly elections in the state to conducted along with the parliament elections.
