The People’s Democratic Party supremo and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said on Friday that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance during the Prime Ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee had a better understanding of the political crisis in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that even the United Progressive Alliance under the leadership of Manmohan Singh extended the “process of changing the mindset” until the National Conference became its power partner in 2009.
Releasing the PDP’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls at a press conference here, Mr. Sayeed claimed that the “process of change and progress” retarded immediately after the Congress adopted the NC as a coalition partner after the 2008 Assembly elections.
“There has been no movement forward, no headway in the last five years,” Mr. Sayeed claimed, charging the NC with misleading and blackmailing the Centre. He even held Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the NC responsible for failure to work on the recommendations of the Prime Minister’s five Working Groups on J&K. He claimed that Mr. Abdullah, his father Farooq Abdullah and their party NC had no capacity and intention to convince New Delhi on revocation of J&K Armed Forces Special Powers Act and addressing the State’s political and economic issues. “They are concerned with nothing but power. That’s why they take diktats in sensitive political matters from the Centre,” Mr. Sayeed said.
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Mr. Sayeed said the PDP was fielding its cream — Mehbooba Mufti from South Kashmir, Muzaffar Hussain Baig from North Kashmir and Tariq Hamid Qarra from Central Kashmir — in the Lok Sabha polls.