Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reciprocate the offer of friendship by Imran Khan.
"Pakistan is getting a new government, a new prime minister. He has made an offer of friendship. I want to appeal PM Narendra Modi to respond to the offer positively," Mufti said while speaking to party workers in Srinagar on the eve of the 19th anniversary of the Peoples Democratic Party's foundation.
The PDP supremo also said that partnering with BJP was like drinking a cup of poison for her.
Mehbooba said that she always stood for talks with Pakistan during the tenure of her government with the BJP and that she lost power because she did not budge from her position on talks with separatists or Pakistan. She also stressed on the need to unite across party lines in Kashmir for opposing the abrogation of article 35A which grants special status to J&K.
The BJP, on the other hand, is seeking the removal of article 35A.
Nearly a month ago, the BJP withdrew its support from the alliance with PDP putting the onus on Mehbooba Mufti for failing to handle the law and order situation in Kashmir among various other reasons.
Pertinently, a few legislators and workers of the PDP have been miffed with Mehbooba over the alliance with BJP and her way of functioning as party chief.
Mehbooba today said that allying with BJP was her father Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's idea in order to resolve the Kashmir issue and bring peace to the state.
She said that she never compromised on any of the promises she made to the people and that it was because of her stand that she had to lose power.
While reacting on Mehbooba's comments, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted, "She was a willing participant in their 'partnership of crime'. If it was as poisonous as she now claims why did she not leave the alliance instead of waiting to be sacked? She was quite happy to poison the people of Kashmir with her toxic opportunism."
