The National Conference, the
People’s Democratic Party and the Congress have slammed the BJP for labeling their planned coalition as ‘Pakistan sponsored’, while questioning the timing and process of governor Satya Pal Malik’s decision to dissolve the legislative assembly.
The PDP, which staked claim for government formation, has decided not to challenge the decision in court. The three parties have demanded early conduct of elections. A day after dissolution of the state assembly, politicians across the spectrum continued to engage in on Twitter.
After BJP leader Ram Madhav accused the PDP-NC-Congress alliance of ‘following diktats from across the border’, NC leader
Omar Abdullah challenged him to prove the allegation or apologise. “Place the evidence of your allegation of NC boycott of ULB polls at Pak behest in public domain. It’s an open challenge to you and your government,” Abdullah wrote on Twitter. Madhav, later retracted the allegation and suggested that Abdullah should take the comments in his stride.
Abdullah told a news conference that the three parties had come together to safeguard the special status of J&K and ‘correct the imbalance’ in the administration. “This was for the larger interest of the state even when going with PDP was politically damaging for NC,” Abdullah said. He also urged the governor to furnish proof on who was engaged in horse-trading and who was exchanging money, as alleged in the Malik’s official communiqué after dissolving the assembly.
Mufti too hit back at the comments BJP leaders made against the ‘alliance’. In a string of tweets she said “nationalistic” only if you are with the BJP and “anti-nationalistic” otherwise. State Congress chief GA Mir accused the governor of destroying democratic institutions and facilitating a new combination of BJP and People’s Conference.