Mehbooba links support for NC in RS polls with passage of 2 key bills

Srinagar, Oct 16: Asserting that National Conference (NC) government had been unable to deliver in the first year of its tenure, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said that her party would vote for NC in the forthcoming polls to elect Rajya Sabha members from J&K only if the latter “helps to pass few of PDP’s bills in the assembly.”

Addressing media persons, Mebooba said NC President Farooq Abdullah called her up to seek PDP’s vote, but didn’t mince her words to say that this was possible only if NC promises to help in the passage of their bills in the Assembly.

“Farooq Sahab called me up, saying they were in need of support. I told him that, as far as lending support is concerned, our senior leadership will discuss that. I also told him to help pass a few of our bills in the Assembly, such as the regularisation of land and daily wagers,” Mehbooba said. “If the NC helps in passing these bills, we may consider voting for them.”

She blamed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led government for “only focusing on statehood restoration” and ignoring other issues.

“There has been an atmosphere of fear since 2019, where properties have been attached and people have been detained in large numbers. There was a sort of surveillance in Jammu and Kashmir which made people scared to make a point. All this used to come across as abnormal, but Omar Sahab’s government has normalised these things,” Mehbooba said.

She blamed the CM Omar-led government for “not speaking up and being unable to show resistance.

“They didn’t even provide aid to people languishing in jails outside J&K, which they had promised to do,” she said.