The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today announced that it has decided to withdraw from the coalition government with Mehbooba Mufti led PDP in J&K.
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BJP’s national general secretary Ram Madhav informed in the press conference that all the BJP leaders of J&K were called to Delhi yesterday by the central leadership to discuss the achievements, programmes and developments of the 3-year-old alliance government in J&K with the state leaders. In the discussion, necessary inputs from central government ministers and other agencies have also been discussed. He added that after taking into account all the factors, the party has decided that it is not possible for the BJP to continue in the alliance government any longer.
Ram Madhav informed that the present partnership has become untenable for the BJP. He added that the BJP formed the government with PDP 3 years ago after a fractured mandate in the J&K assembly elections. While Jammu region had given support to BJP, Kashmir had favoured PDP. Ram Madhav stated that the party made a Common Minimum Programme and agenda on the government. He added further that for 3 years, the BJP had tried to stick to agenda.
Ram Madhav stated that the BJP 2 main commitments, restoring peace in the state, especially the Kashmir valley and encouraging development in al the 3 regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. But as the BJP did not have an absolute majority, it had to be dependant upon the PDP. He further stated that today’s situation is such that there is heavy radicalisation, terrorism in the valley. He mentioned journalist Shujaat Bukhari being shot by terrorists in broad daylight and many instances violence and failure of law and order.
Ram Madhav added that the central government has provided all possible support to state government. He mentioned that the major part of the Rs 80,000 crore package promised by the PM has been disbursed and major projects were inaugurated by the Prime Minister when he visited Ladakh and Jammu recently. He asserted that the central government has been doing all that is possible to improve security situations in the state and even all the government agencies have been taking steps to counter the threats from Pakistan. The central government has facilitated the construction of 4000 bunkers along the Line of Control for the safety of citizens. He further stressed that despite the central government always giving whatever the PDP asked for, they had failed to deliver expected results. He stated that the recent events in the state are a testimony to that.
Ram Madhav added that even developmental works have been halted and hindered by PDP leaders and the regions of Jammu and Ladakh have seen gross negligence and exclusion from developmental work.
He went ahead to state that keeping in mind the larger national interest of India’s integrity and security, the party has decided that it is time they pulled out of the government and the reins of power be handed over to the Governor and any further steps will be considered only after the situation has been stabilised in the state.
Regarding the recent suspension of anti-terror operations in the state, Ram Madhav stated that the suspensions were announced with a hope and separatists elements including Hurriyat will appreciate it and it will see some positive outcome towards restoring peace in the valley. However, their attempt to reassure the people of the state, the move has failed to inspire any positive step from the separatists and terrorists.
BJP leader and now former deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Kavinder Gupta informed that he has tendered his resignation to the Governor and all the MLAs of BJP have also submitted their resignations.
This decision comes hours after BJP President Amit Shah met NSA Ajit Doval. Meanwhile, following the break-up, Mehbooba Mufti has also resigned as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Narinder Nath Vohra is the current Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
