PDP rejects NC offer, says people voted for change

‘Having realised that it cannot be the king, the NC wants to be the kingmaker now’

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday virtually turned down the offer of support on government formation from the National Conference (NC), dimming the prospects of an early resolution to the political stalemate in the State.

The two parties were engaged in a war of words, a day after the National Conference’s working president, Omar Abdullah, wrote to Governor N. N. Vohra formally informing him of his party’s support to the PDP.

However, the PDP, which has emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats in the House of 87 members, made it clear that the offer of support was not acceptable.

“The people have voted against the National Conference in the elections and with just 15 seats, they [NC] cannot decide on government formation,” PDP chief spokesperson Naeem Akhtar said here.

He said the people had voted for a change, and an alliance with the NC would amount to disrespecting their desire.

Attacking the NC, he said, “Having realised that they cannot be the king, they want to be the kingmaker now.”

The NC, in turn, said its offer was limited to outside support and attacked the PDP, saying it was “ready to make every possible compromise and U-turn to come to power.”

NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar pointedly targeted PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, accusing him of “lording over countless massacres and being the architect of repression in the State.”

After Mr. Abdullah resigned last week as caretaker Chief Minister, Governor’s Rule was imposed in the State.

Insisting that NC was not interested in being a part of government, Mr. Sagar said that “unlike” the PDP, his party was “guided by principles and a political ideology that is rooted in the aspirations and sentiments of the people.”