Mehbooba Mufti meets J&K governor, hints at going with BJP

Jammu and Kashmir governor N.N. Vohra (right) with PDP president Mehbooba Mufti during a meeting at Raj Bhavan in Jammu on Friday. (Photo: PTI)

After a suspense of two months, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday hinted at going ahead with forming government with the BJP, saying she was “not afraid” of criticism over it but wanted the Centre to send out a “signal” that it will do “everything” for the welfare of people of the state.

Hours later, she met governor N.N. Vohra for an hour and discussed “political issues” and “various challenges” faced by the state which is under Governor’s Rule since January 8.

Before meeting Mr Vohra, she invoked her late father Mufti Sayeed, saying he had “not joined hands with the BJP as a party but it was a coalition between the Central government and the people of Jammu and Kashmir” with an aim to benefit the people of the state.

“For us, the decision taken by my father... if that aim and that aspiration is fulfilled then I am not afraid if people blame me for going with the BJP whether they feel good or bad. If people are benefited then there is no issue,” Ms Mufti said while launching the party’s membership drive here.

“When it came to the benefit of people, my father did not care about the party. He rose above everything and joined hands with the BJP for the welfare of the people,” she said.

Insisting that she was not an “adamant” woman, she said her party leaders want the formation of the government but she will do that when she feels that the bigger aim was fulfilled. And if the aim of forging an alliance with the BJP is fulfilled, then she has no objection in forming the government, she said.

She said, “If at any time I feel that they (Centre) have space in their hearts for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and a framework which we have made and they are ready to put colours in that framework, then I do not have any hesitation in becoming chief minister of this state... [it] would be a matter of honour.”

Ms Mufti, whose party has 27 MLAs in the 87-member Assembly, said “if the promises are not fulfilled and the formation of the government means to keep away from the elections for five years, then she was not ready (to become the Chief Minister).”