National Conference on Wednesday expressed surprise over clandestine PDP-BJP bonhomie ahead of Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the duo were still in alliance and hand-in-glove to influence the polls by deceit and deception. “We have credible information about PDP soliciting the advice and direction of the BJP for fielding candidates, convenient to it, for Jammu-Poonch and Kathua-Udhampur parliamentary constituencies to facilitate division of anti-BJP votes in order to ensuring the victory of BJP candidates”, senior National Conference leaders said in a joint statement, issued from Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here, adding that arrangement of convenience is at its final stages.
National Conference leaders accused the PDP of brightening BJP prospect in the two parliamentary constituencies by fielding such candidates who can divide anti-BJP votes. Essentially a product of the BJP, the PDP did it covertly in 2009 and overtly in 2014. They described PDP’s anti-BJP posturing as a façade, saying the duo were in fact on the same page. They said the BJP is in the process of giving names of the candidates convenient to it, who can cut the votes and have field day for its own candidates. The senior National Conference leaders also saw a larger and sinister design in withdrawing the support to PDP led government in Jammu and Kashmir last year, months ahead of the scheduled Lok Sabha elections, saying all this drama was enacted to offset the growing criticism within BJP core constituency across the country over, what they comprehended, aligning with an anti-national party. By adopting this modus operandi, the PDP and BJP were actually complementing and supplementing each other in their respective constituencies by taking ‘North Pole South Pole’ posturing, they said and condemned the PDP’s politics of deceit and deception.
National Conference lashed out at PDP for compromising with the interests of the people at a time when the State was at cross roads of its history and passing through most difficult times with inimical elements hell bent upon trampling its status and special identity. The arrangement appears to be a worst kind of quid pro quo with the PDP expecting loaves of power once the BJP is settled in Delhi throne for another five years, the statement said, adding that the duo have worked out a dubious strategy to have win win situation for both. “The PDP is playing villain to the people, who are determined to uphold their special and unique identity, irrespective of regional and religious affiliations”, National Conference leaders said and warned the PDP for playing with fire by indulging in double speak and murky politics. They termed the PDP’s so-called extreme posturing in the Valley as well-played role of a smart storyline scripted in Nagpur with sinister motivation of facilitating BJP victory in the backdrop of Kashmir locale, making it a theatre of cross border conflict. “Electors of Jammu and Kashmir will not oblige the PDP and the BJP to succeed in their dubious plot as they are politically matured enough to read between the lines”, the leaders said and complimented the people for their determination to foil the attempts of the anti-state political actors.Besides Provincial President Mr Devender Singh Rana, the signatories to the joint statement included Mr Surjeet Singh Slathia, Mr Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Mr Rattan Lal Gupta, Th Rachpal Singh, Th Kashmira Singh, Mr Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, Mr Khalid Najeeb Suharwardhy, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Shah Bukhari, S Harbans Singh, Mr Abdul Gani Malik, S. Trilochan Singh Wazir, Mr Vijay Bakaya, Mr Ajaz Jan, Mr B R Kundal, Qazi Jalal-ud-Din, Sheikh Bashir, Haji Mohammed Hussain, Dr Kamal Arora, Mrs Vijay Laxmi Dutta, Mrs Satwant Kour Dogra, Mr Mohd Aslam Khan, Ch Liaqat Ali, Advocate, Mr Jagjeevan Lal, Dr Chaman Lal, Dr Gagan Bhagat, Mrs Bimla Luthra, Mrs Deepender Kour, Mrs Swaran Lata, Mr Mehboob Iqbal, Mr Issrar Khan, Mr Vijay Lochan, Mr Abdul Gani Teli, Mr Romy Khajuria, Mr Ajit Kumar Sharma and others.