NEW DELHI: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday expressed his willingness to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir with the support of Mehbooba Mufti‘s People’s Democratic Party. However, he added that the initiative should be from the other side.
When asked whether the National Conference-Congress alliance would seek support from the PDP if necessary, Abdullah replied, “Why not?”
“How does it matter? If we all work for the same thing, for improvement in the conditions of the people of the state, removing unemployment, removing all the distresses that have occurred in the last 10 years.First thing we should do is restore the freedom of the press. We should have the right to say what is true and what is not true. We can be rivals in elections but I have no objections and I am sure Congress will have no objections,” he said.
“I will not go to beg before them. If they feel they can strengthen the state, most welcome. It should be their initiative. They should want to do good for the people,” he said.
Abdullah also ruled out any possibility of him becoming the chief minister.
I will not be the CM. Let this one thing be clear. I have done my chief minister’s job. My problem will be how we make a strong government and how we fulfil the agenda that we have put before the people,” he said.
The exit polls have predicted that the Congress-National Conference alliance is on track to come closest to the majority in the 90-member assembly.
Addressing the pre poll results, Abdullah said, “The exit polls can be wrong, they can be right also. What will really show the truth is when the boxes are opened and votes are counted. We are hopeful that the alliance will form a stable government. That is what we are looking for.”
Elections in the Union territory were held in three phases and the votes will be counted on Tuesday.