Mehbooba should put her house in order before blaming BJP: Madhav

Dismisses ‘Salahuddin’ threat, says Centre has ‘necessary strength’

JAMMU: Terming former ally Mehbooba Mufti’s statement on BJP trying to engineer a split in her PDP the most shocking and unfortunate lie, BJP’s point-man on Jammu and Kashmir Ram Madhav on Saturday suggested the former Chief Minister to resolve her party’s internal conflicts before blaming the saffron party.

Madhav, BJP’s national general secretary, also dismissed Mehbooba’s threat of more Kashmiri young people joining the militancy to be like ‘Salahuddin’- the Hizbul Mujahidin chief, and asserted that the Centre and security forces had the necessary strength to neutralise all terrorists in the valley and also those who might join militancy.

Referring to the recent discontentment within PDP after four MLAs and an MLC spoke out against her leadership, Mehbooba Mufti on Friday had accused the BJP of trying to split her party to form new government in the state.

"If Delhi tries to create divisions and interfere" more Salahuddins and Yasin Maliks, would be born and the "outcome will be dangerous," she had said.

On Saturday, Madhav, also the BJP in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, dismissed the accusations that the BJP was trying to create a rift within PDP.

“What Mehbooba ji said is unfortunate and based on lies. No one in Delhi is trying to break their party (PDP). Instead of solving their internal conflicts, they’re blaming Delhi and threatening in name of terrorism. As far as BJP is concerned, we aren’t trying to break any party,” he was quoted saying.

He said Mufti's statement has not only "exposed her proximity to separatists", it would now give "oxygen to terrorists" in the Valley.

On the ‘Salahuddin’ threat, Madhav sternly said the Centre and security forces had the necessary strength to neutralise all terrorists in the valley and also those who might join militancy.

“The Central government and security forces have the power to neutralise all the terrorists who are in the valley and those might turn to terrorism due to Mehbooba ji,” the BJP leader said.

"We are committed to what we have said that Kashmir needs Governor Rule's for some time to deliver goods to the people," said Madhav, adding that Mehbooba Mufti should "address the grievances" of "corruption and nepotism" in PDP made by her lawmakers.

Mehbooba had resigned last month after the BJP abruptly ended its three-year alliance with her PDP citing rising security concerns in Jammu and Kashmir. While she has been facing a revolt with as many as five party leaders coming all out against Mehbooba, several PDP leaders a week ago had met her and pledged their support to her after allegations of BJP leaders trying to poach PDP lawmakers.

Meanwhile, another BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha who is currently in Srinagar called for truce between two former partners, asserting that there was an "unnecessary" blame game going on between the BJP and the PDP after their ruling alliance in the state collapsed suddenly last month.

Sinha, who has been at loggerheads with the current BJP leadership since the 2015 Bihar elections, said it was wrong to shift the blame on the other side as "nobody is perfect".

"Unnecessary blame game starts once friends turn foes. A good allince till it lasted - we were partners in J&K with PDP & ran the Govt together. Unfortunately we parted ways a few weeks back so it's wrong to say that we were right & they are wrong..#PDP #BJP #MehboobaMufti (sic)," he said in a tweet.

Sinha was visiting Srinagar as part of a delegation of parliament committee on transport, tourism and culture.
He said it was wrong to shift the blame on other side as nobody is perfect.

"...Remember nobody is perfect, we all have our flaws & strengths & we must learn live with this. Jai Hind! (sic)" he said in another tweet.

The actor-turned-politician met PDP president Mehbooba Mufti at her residence in Srinagar yesterday. "To me once a friend, always a friend! While on an official tour in Srinagar for Transport, Tourism & Culture Committee along with other MPs & Govt officials, I paid a special & personal visit to our dear family friend & former CM of J& K Mehbooba Mufti.

"We discussed everything except politics with fondest regards for each other's families," he said in a series of tweets.

Sinha also said that he met some "young and dynamic" PDP MLAs.

"Even though heartbroken with the recent developments, I found them bold & loyal. Today, we remember with an attitude of gratitude Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji and need to practice & preach Kashmiriat, Insaniyaat & Jamhuriat in terms of solving the problems of Kashmir. Long Live Kashmir," the Lok Sabha member from Patna Sahib in Bihar, said.