Will consider the option only if people forgive their mistakes: Akhtar
No question of allying with BJP: Sagar
Amid the stalemate over government formation, National Conference has reiterated its offer of support to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“We stand by our support to the PDP. Keeping the interest of the state in view, we are at their (PDP) disposal,” NC General Secretary, Ali Mohammad Sagar told .
The party’s core group meeting, chaired by its working president Omar Abdullah, on Monday discussed the political situation.
“It is unfortunate that PDP had failed to form the government forcing Governor’s rule on people. We had offered support to PDP. It is not possible for us to form the government as we do not have the numbers,” said Nasir Aslam Wani, provincial president of the party.
Wani questioned the doubts on why there could not be an alliance between the two archrivals- NC and PDP.
“Why was there no problem when Nitish (Kumar) and Laloo Prasad (Yadav) came together? When all Yadavs can come together; when leaders with different political ideologies can come together in Assam why not in J&K?” he asked.
NC managed 15 seats in the recent Assembly polls which threw a hung verdict making PDP the single majority party with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerging as the second largest party with 25 seats.
Sagar said there was no question of allying with the BJP. “None of our leaders have met anyone from BJP. Discussing them is a no while going ahead was of no question,” he maintained.
Sources said NC has decided to even express its offer of support in writing to PDP “in case they needed to go to the Governor to show they have the numbers”.
However, NC has taken strong exception to PDP statements calling the offer of support from Omar ‘non-serious’ and a ‘political gimmick’, Sagar said: “He (Omar) is our working president. Besides, every other person from the NC has openly extended support to PDP for the government formation in the state.”
“What does seriousness mean to PDP… how more serious should we get. It is they who have to step up. They should respond to our call. We have done what needed to be done,” he added.
Reacting to NC’s call, PDP Chief Spokesman Naeem Akhtar told this newspaper that they would consider alliance with NC only if it was in the interest of people.
He, however, added that people have been let down by NC.
“If the people who consider NC a reason for Afzal Guru’s hanging and mismanagement during floods are in a mood to forgive them; if it is in the interest of people only then should we look at this option,” he said.
