Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 8: Veteran leader of ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Lok Sabha MP from Baramulla-Kupwara Lok Sabha seat said today that if both PDP and BJP disagree on working of the Government on various reasons after current unrest is settled, they can part ways and dissolve the Government but asserted that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti shouldn’t run away from her responsibility when there is challenge, strike and uprising.
In an interview to various news channels today, Baig said this was “my personal view that when there is challenge, strike and uprising, you should never resign”. In fact, he said, this is the time to show your strength, both as a human being as well as Indian State functionary and the Chief Minister.
However, he said, when the peace returns (to the Kashmir valley), “you (a reference to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti) must show your strength, you must show your mettle, if you have mettle.
“However, if the alliance (PDP-BJP) didn’t work even after restoration of peace for ideological or administrative reasons or lack of agreement or how to implement the Agenda of Alliance, both the BJP and PDP can part ways and dissolve the Government,” Baig said.
However, the PDP leader had a word of advice for Mehbooba Mufti. “Never run away from the responsibilities when it’s a difficult time”.
Baig, however, said he hasn’t heard a single responsible persons asking for resignation of Mehbooba Mufti.
Asserting that he was sharing such kind of views for the first time on record, Baig said he has no doubts that some of the members of the Assembly might not be happy for various reasons with his statement
Baig said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti should consider resigning only if she feels the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ between PDP and its ruling partner BJP is a “paper of fraud and not a paper of good faith”. The PDP and BJP had signed ‘Agenda of Alliance’ before forming the Government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Baig, a founder member of the PDP, expressed the hope that Mehbooba will be able to take control of the situation but cautioned her that in case she feels that the two “alliance partners are incompatible”, she is left with only one option and that is to resign.
The PDP leader said he had no two opinions that their party president will live up to expectations and bring the situation in the restive Kashmir valley under control.
However, “if she comes to a conclusion that she is not getting enough support and she cannot deliver on the promises that she made to the people, of course, the only course left for her will be to resign.
“If this alliance does not work for inner contradictions, because we are incompatible and what we have on paper is a paper of fraud and not a paper of good faith…If she comes to that conclusion and she does not get the support she must resign in honour,” Baig, who is in the national capital, said.
He said the PDP was suffering on the ground. “It is the worker at the ground level, the cadre that makes the party, they are losers any which way. We have not benefited them a bit, we have done nothing for our workers. We have not acted upon our common agenda of alliance. That is the real reason why we are in trouble today,” he said.
Baig, who has been the Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister in the State, said the Centre was being shown a different view of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. “It’s a case of a General who has a broader view of the situation while the soldier at the ground has a different (view).
“Take the case of Hurriyat Conference. Too little attention has been given to them,” he said and added that if the Centre feels they are not the stakeholders, keep them on the side and talk to Pakistan directly.
He said a sense of “disillusion” was running deep into party cadre but even in these tough times, “I have not heard a single responsible person asking for Mehbooba’s resignation”.
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