‘Mufti Mohammed Sayeed felt let down by the BJP’

As cracks show in the ruling PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, believes the Centre had “doused” Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s hopes in the troubled State. He also thinks the moment when both the Congress and National Conference had offered unconditional support to the PDP, has passed. In an interview to BusinessLine , Azad explains why he believes the BJP is entirely responsible for the “mess” in J&K. Excerpts from the interview.

Do you think J&K is headed for a snap poll?

I think the decision has to be taken by Mehbooba Mufti because she has the maximum numbers among all political parties. The final call, therefore, is ultimately hers to take.

Will the Congress support her in the event of the PDP walking out on the alliance with the BJP?

Initially, when the election results were declared and no party got a majority, each party wanted to keep the BJP out. It is in this backdrop that the Congress and National Conference had offered to extended unconditional support to the PDP.

The sentiment was that this was one State where we wanted the BJP out. We did not want them to get the kind of credibility, because we reject their ideology. We wanted to keep them out because a sensitive place like J&K is just a number for them. It is just a feather in their cap; they don’t really care.

The PDP held long parleys, for two to three months, and eventually formed a government with the BJP. It is now ten months since that government was formed. The moment when we offered unconditional support is now long gone. That situation itself has changed.

The situation has clearly changed for Mehbooba Mufti as well…

I have talked about it at length with the late Mufti Sahib , for whom I have had great regard. He explained to me his reasons had nothing to do with him wanting to be Chief Minister or anything. He wanted to leave a long-lasting impact.

He was of the view that we are a poor State and to do something concrete for the people after the devastating floods, the State would need to mobilise resources and funds from the Centre. He took the decision to go with the BJP for the sake of the people, keeping ideology aside.

I think this the great hope and aspiration, with which he went with the BJP. He was hoping to do something extraordinary. Politically, he was very sensitive about issues such as relations with Pakistan, peace in the Valley and an end to the mindless violence that goes on.

I personally feel that Mufti Sahib felt let down by the BJP. Having known him since my childhood and throughout my student days, I know that he was not happy with the way the BJP treated the State. I think he strongly felt that his aspirations remained unfulfilled.

You seem sympathetic towards Mehbooba Mufti, while you are blaming the BJP?

She has lost her father, to whom she was very close. He was her father, her mentor and her leader. In this time of sorrow and grief, she has to handle this very difficult situation in an extremely sensitive border State, which faces external threats and law and order problems. You need political, financial and moral support from the Centre. It is not like other States; not at all.

And what does the Prime Minister do? He finds time to go for weddings in Delhi, in Saifai and even to Pakistan. But he does not have time to go and sit with a daughter who is grieving for her father, who was also the former Home Minister and a leader of great eminence?

COMMENT NOW