Look forward to early polls: NC, Cong

JAMMU: Ruling out the possibility of an alliance with the left-out Peoples Democratic Alliance (PDP), both the opposition parties National Conference and Congress today pitched for fresh polls in the state, which is all set for Governor's rule.

Former Chief Minister and NC’s vice-president Omar Abdullah spoke to the media after calling on Governor N.N. Vohra following the fall of the PDP-BJP government in the troubled state and demanded early elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Today, suddenly around 2.30 p.m., news came that the BJP has severed its political relationship with the PDP.

"I have met the Governor just a little while back. I told the Governor that in the 2014 elections, the National Conference did not have the mandate to form a government and today also we don't have the mandate," he said.

"We have neither been approached nor have we approached any party for support to form a government in the state.

"The Governor has no option but to impose Governor's rule and improve the situation so that a democratic government is formed in the state after holding fresh elections," said Abdullah.

Abdullah said he had assured the National Conference's support to the Governor but added that the Governor and his administration must ensure that early elections are held to put an elected government in place.

"As a responsible political party, we will work for peace in all the three regions of the state."

Asked about the possible reasons for the BJP's pullout from the government, the National Conference leader said: "I can't speak for the BJP. They alone can explain what prompted their decision. "Yes, I was surprised by the timing of the BJP decision. I expected this to happen later this year, but it happened sooner because of the deterioration in situation."

Asked whether the BJP had embarrassed the PDP by taking a unilateral decision, Abdullah said: "Whether PDP is embarrassed or not they would know, but I feel the BJP should have taken the PDP into confidence.

"But different parts function differently. They (BJP) claim radicalization and obviously they have better access to information than us.

"We believe that both these parties have together pushed the state down the precipice."

Abdullah said that Governor Vohra, with his vast experience, can help pull the state out of the current crisis. Asked about his party's earlier offer of support made to the PDP, he said: "That was a one time offer and after they joined hands with the BJP, that offer ended."

Asked if his party was happy about the development, he said: "We do not celebrate this break- up. We are mourning the demise of democracy in the state".

Would he ask the Governor to keep the state Assembly in suspended animation or seek its dissolution? Abdullah replied: "That is the prerogative of the Governor and of nobody else."

Meanwhile, the Congress also ruled out the possibility of an alliance with the PDP.

Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said the question of an alliance with the PDP "does not arise".

"Whatever has happened is good. People of Jammu and Kashmir will get some relief. They (BJP) ruined Kashmir and have now pulled out," he said.

Blaming the BJP for "devastating" the state government, Azad said that the regional parties like the PDP and Nationalist Conference should have been "left to themselves" in cobbling up a coalition among themselves and form the government.

"We (Congress) had approached the PDP and I am glad that (NC leader) Omar (Abdullah) seconded the proposal of having a greater alliance of PDP-NC and Congress. The regional parties should have been left to themselves; they should have been given a choice to form a government.

"They could have selected their own partner but the BJP government at the Centre did not allow them to do so and in these three years, the BJP and PDP have devastated the state government," he said.

Congress national President Rahul Gandhi said "opportunistic BJP-PDP alliance cost the country strategically" while "damage will continue" under the Governor's rule.

"The opportunistic BJP-PDP alliance set fire to Jammu and Kashmir, killing many innocent people including our brave soldiers. It cost India strategically and destroyed years of UPA's hard work. The damage will continue under President's rule. Incompetence, arrogance and hatred always fails," Gandhi said on Twitter.

Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala pointed out that in the last four years, 373 security personnel and 239 civilians have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir due to heightened militancy.

What did the nation get out of this?" Surjewala said in a tweet.