BJP Ministers quit Mehbooba Govt

In a twist to coalition equation in J&K, BJP Ministers resigned from the Mehbooba Mufti-led alliance Government on Tuesday night.

As the development came two days after the BJP’s Central leadership asked two BJP Ministers to put in their papers for backing the Kathua gangrape accused, rumours starting doing the rounds that something was amiss.

However, it was laid to rest with the State BJP leaders maintaining there is no threat to the BJP-PDP alliance Government and the mass resignation was precursor to a Cabinet reshuffle.

In Jammu, none of the BJP Ministers confirmed the news of their resignation. But sources in the State BJP unit said all BJP members of the Council of Ministers have put in their papers ahead of the reshuffle in the State Cabinet.

The date of reshuffle has not been decided as yet, official sources said.

During his recent visit to the State on April 14, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav had declared that the PDP-BJP coalition Government was not facing any problem and will continue to function.

Currently, the total strength of the Council of Ministers has been reduced from 25 to 22. First vacancy was created by the ouster of Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu. Later the two BJP Cabinet Ministers  Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga  submitted  their resignations.

When contacted office of Deputy Chief Minister Prof Nirmal Singh in Jammu told The Pioneer, “Deputy Chief Minister is attending a high-level meeting in connection with the visit of the President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday.”

The State BJP chief, Sat Pal Sharma, was not available for comments while all other senior party leaders feigned ignorance about the sudden political development.

Earlier, in the day former BJP Minister Lal Singh blatantly exposed the fault lines within the BJP over the issue of ordering CBI probe into the rape and murder of 8-year-old nomadic girl from Kathua.

Before embarking on a road journey en route his home constituency in Kathua district, Lal Singh launched a scathing attack against the Chief Minister Mehbooba. 

He demanded resignation of the Chief Minister claiming as Home Minister she had failed to ensure ‘transparency’ and deliver justice to the victim’s family.

The former Forest Minister said the CM  had failed to understand the popular sentiment and was yet to seek a CBI probe into the brutal incident.

“It is her (Mehbooba’s) biggest failure. If she has wisdom and conscience, she should resign,” Singh told reporters here.

“If two Ministers can sacrifice their posts in the interest of peace, those who are actually responsible for creating such an atmosphere should listen to their conscience,” he said targeting the PDP leader.

Singh also said he would press for CBI probe into the incident.

Another senior BJP leader from the State MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh on Tuesday clarified the Centre has no objection to the handing over of the Kathua rape and murder case to the CBI, provided the State Government comes out with a reference.

Interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of a function in Jammu, Dr Singh said,”As far as we are concerned, we don’t have any problem or objection to hand over the case to the CBI. If the State Government comes out with a reference, we will hand over the case to the agency today itself.”

He said the court was another option through which the case could go to the CBI. “As per my knowledge, a petition (for a CBI probe) is pending there,” he said