PDP however stressed that it will not ally with BJP as the party had done after 2014 Assembly polls.
SRINAGAR – After the National Conference and the Congress finalised pre-poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP chief and former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday released her party manifesto and said that she would extend complete support to the alliance if it accepts her agenda, including peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue and restoration of Article 370 and 35A.
“The PDP will not fight the Assembly elections just for the seats. We will extend our complete support to the alliance formed by NC and Congress if they agree to follow our party’s agenda, which includes the resolution of the Kashmir issue and restoration of Article 370,” Mehbooba told reporters.
She said that power and seats don’t matter for the PDP. “If the party’s agenda is accepted, we will extend our support to the alliance in J&K,” The New Indian Express reported.
When asked whether she would align with the BJP as the party had done after 2014 Assembly polls, the PDP chief asserted that “there is no possibility of PDP aligning with the BJP.”
“We had aligned with the BJP government in Delhi and not with the BJP in 2015 with a condition that they would not tinker with Article 370. Till the coalition government was there, Article 370 was not touched. We had formed the alliance to save Article 370 and now there is no Article 370,” she said.
She has been very critical of the reading down of Article 370 and was among the top leaders booked under the stringent PSA.
NC and Congress leaders did not contact the PDP leadership, which was also interested in the alliance, before finalising the pre-poll alliance. The PDP has been weakened after its alliance with BJP for 2014 Assembly polls.
