“It is worth remembering that PDP chose to stay away from the recent meeting that Farooq Sahib called to discuss Article 35A and other issues with Kashmir-based parties/leaders. So his view is contrary to what the PDP chose to do,” said Altaf Bukhari.
Senior PDP leader and former finance minister in the Mehbooba Mufti cabinet Altaf Bukhari on Friday said that in the interest of the people, the two major parties of Jammu and Kashmir – NC and PDP – “should come together” to defend Article 35A, currently under challenge in the apex court.
“We are two main parties from J&K. There is no family feud between the two parties and we are not ideologically too far apart. We primarily represent Kashmir and purely in the interest of defending Article 35A and Article 370, we should come together,” Bukhari told The Indian Express. “If we can join hands with the BJP, why not NC? Lalu (Prasad) and Nitish (Kumar) came together, so did Mayawati and Akhilesh. Why can’t we?”
He said the two parties had boycotted the urban local body and panchayat polls “in order to safeguard the interest of the people and with that limited agenda, NC and PDP can join hands. However, if the Government of India thinks they can do without the mainstream of Kashmir, then it is up to them,” Bukhari said.
He underscored that this was his personal opinion and he was not privy to any discussions within the party about a possible alliance with the NC. He also said that the lawyer chosen to represent the state in the apex court “is not correctly representing the interests of the people of J&K”.
NC vice-president Omar Abdullah said that his party had offered PDP unconditional support in 2014-15 “to save the state from exactly the mess that we are in now. Sadly, at that time the PDP rejected our offer and went with the BJP.” Speaking to The Indian Express, the former Chief minister said, “There is no such proposal under consideration, no such proposal was discussed in the working committee.”
He added, “It is worth remembering that PDP chose to stay away from the recent meeting that Farooq Sahib called to discuss Article 35A and other issues with Kashmir-based parties/leaders. So his view is contrary to what the PDP chose to do.”
The Supreme Court is hearing five petitions challenging Article 35A.