Why did Mehbooba agree without ‘getting anything from Centre’, asks Omar

Budgam (Jammu and Kashmir): Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday questioned Mehbooba Mufti’s decision to go ahead with the government formation in the state with the BJP after a hiatus of two-and-a-half months, saying that the People’s Democratic party (PDP) chief should reveal to the people as to why she had agreed for this without ‘getting anything from the Centre’.

“Yesterday Ram Madhav gave a statement that Mehbooba ji neither asked for anything nor did she get anything. She sought the Prime Minister’s blessing and he gave…We are surprised because for the last two and a half months we are being told that they would get something from Delhi. She had said that unless CBM are implemented, she wouldn’t form the government. What happened today? She needs to answere to the people that what made her wait for all these days,” Abdullah told the media here.

“She kept us under the impression that she would ask for something from the Centre, like funds, or power projects, issue of AFSPA etc,” he added.

The PDP MLAs today unanimously elected Mehbooba as the legislature party leader.

Speaking at the PDP meeting, Mehbooba thanked the party workers for extending their support to her and for backing her during testing times.

After meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, Mehbooba had said that she would take a final decision regarding the government formation and PDP-BJP alliance after consulting her party MLAs in the legislature meeting.

Describing her meeting with the Prime Minister as positive, the PDP chief had expressed satisfaction about its outcome.

Mehbooba met Prime Minister Modi at the latter’s official 7, Race Course Road (RCR) residence in the national capital in a last ditch effort to renew the partnership between the PDP and BJP to form government in Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP had earlier said that it was committed to the implementation of already agreed agenda of alliance.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra has called separate meetings with the PDP chief and BJP State president Sat Sharma tomorrow.

Jammu and Kashmir was placed under Governor’s rule on January 8 after Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s death on January 7. (ANI)