Azad says no party ready to join hands with BJP

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 15

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today said no political party in the state was ready to form an alliance with the BJP in the government formation.

“No party is ready to shake hands with the BJP,” said Azad, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.

Azad without naming the BJP said the party was expecting a low voter turnout which might have given it some kind of benefit in one or two Assembly constituencies. “…but heavy turnout has flattened their moves.”

“The party leaders are day dreaming about ‘Mission 44+’,” Azad said, adding that there were clear signals from other political parties that they will not hold any kind of alliance with the BJP.

Addressing a series of public rallies in Rajouri and Kathua districts and in the Gandhi Nagar constituency of Jammu, Azad said BJP leaders were coming out with statement that the party would not go for an alliance. “The reality is other way round. Such statements are indications of frustration.”

He said Congress was the only party that can fulfil expectations of people of all the three regions of the state.

“The Congress has its visibility and physical presence in all the three regions and eight sub-regions of the state. It is the only party which can carry all sections of society equally on board. Whereas the BJP has its presence in just one sub-region of the state,” Azad said.

The Congress leader highlighted that it was during his two and half years tenure as chief Minister that development accelerated in the hilly, remote and backward belts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Hitting out at the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, Azad said both the parties were befooling the innocent people of the state and trying to get credit for even those projects that were initiated and completed during his tenure as the Chief Minister.

“Who ensured work culture in the state? Who waged a war against corruption? Who sent guilty police officers responsible for innocent killings behind bars? Have they got enough guts to speak truth before the people?” Azad asked.