Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Nov 25: Maintaining that People’s Democratic Party Government in the State after Assembly elections was writing on the wall, the party supremo Mufti Mohd Sayeed today claimed that even BJP -led Central regime acknowledged him as most competent person to be Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
“National Conference has already conceded its defeat while Congress has got exposed before people because of its double standards during the last 10 years and our competition to some extent is only with the BJP but at the same time even the Prime Minister of India knows that Mufti Sayeed is the most competent person to handle the vexed issues of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said while addressing a series of public rallies in support of the party candidates in R S Pura, Samba, Udhampur, Chenani and Gandhi Nagar in Jammu on Tuesday.
He mentioned about the all possible assistance and support provided by then BJP-led NDA regime at Centre to his State Government notwithstanding PDP’s coalition with Congress at that time. “It was result of the conviction and sincerity of my Government that then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishan Advani felt that Mufti Sayeed was the only person who could bridge the trust deficit and strengthen Jammu Kashmir’s relations with Indian Union besides ensuring an equitable development of the State,” the PDP patron said.
Highlighting the achievements of PDP-led Government in the State during its tenure of just three years, Mufti Sayeed said that he gave corruption-free, transparent and good governance in Jammu and Kashmir like Narendra Modi did in Gujarat.
“With just 16 MLAs in its kitty, PDP had scripted a new chapter of peace, reconciliation, development and good governance in the history of Jammu and Kashmir”, Mufti said and added that PDP through its vision and commitment has changed political discourse of Jammu and Kashmir and introduced transparency and accountability in the Government.
The former Chief Minister reiterated his resolve to institutionalize transparency and accountability in the governance and recalled how the PDP had strengthened democratic and constitutional institutions in the State by initiating various revolutionary steps during its short span in the power.
“We empowered people legally to scan the Government functionaries from Chief Minister to the lowest ranking official by constituting State Accountability Commission (SAC), which was the first strong anti-corruption initiative taken by any Government in the whole country”, he said and added that it was all due to the good governance of PDP that people’s faith in democratic institutions was restored by the regime.
Mufti Sayeed recalled that during PDP led regime, more than 70,000 Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers and 40000 Anganwari workers were appointed but not even a single case of favouritism and nepotism was detected. “We institutionalized the recruitment process to ensure that only deserving and meritorious candidate should be recruited”, he said and claimed that PDP Government pulled the State out of chaos and worst situation that prevailed here before 2002 due to NC misrule since 1996.
Exuding confidence that his party was going to form next Government in J&K with thumping majority, Mufti stressed that PDP was the only alternative before people of Jammu and Kashmir because all other parties were exposed due to their double standard. “People of the State are well aware about the performance of different parties and they need no sermons on how to elect a Government that provides effective and honest administration,” he said and claimed that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has already conceded defeat of ruling National Conference by not contesting from the Ganderbal seat, which was being represented by him.
During the public rallies in support of PDP candidates, Mufti Sayeed also highlighted several local issues like border firing, compensation to people whose land has been acquired by the Defence Ministry, employment to youth, inadequate supply of power and drinking water, permanent settlement of refugees etc.
He assured that after coming to power, PDP would convince the Central Government for one time settlement of the refugees, create more jobs for youth, wave off tariff on water pumps installed in border belt and ensure that the farmers of border areas could cultivate their land up-to zero line.
The PDP rallies were also addressed by the party candidates and some senior leaders, who accompanied Mufti Sayeed.
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