PDP chief indicates that she is not looking for any financial package but the CBMs sought by her should focus on political aspect of the problem

JAMMU: Hardening her stance, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has made it clear that she will not form the government with BJP in Jammu and Kashmir if Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dispensation does not create a “conducive atmosphere” by committing confidence building measures (CBMs) for the state.

“There are problems within problems. To face these difficulties, we need to have support and to have that conducive atmosphere (for forming government). If we get that, it is fine but if that does not happen, we will continue to move as we are moving today,” Mehbooba told party leaders at a meeting. Flanked by her brother Tassaduq Mufti and senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, she indicated that she was not looking for any financial package but the CBMs sought by her should focus on political aspect of the problem. “It is not the matter of money. How much money has come and how much we have spent? When and how it came? But the issue is how will we create a conducive atmosphere so that the new government gets a new path and fillip to go ahead and create a goodwill among the people,” she said. Her remarks reflect hardening of stance over forming coalition government with BJP in the state which is under Governor’s Rule since January 8, a day after the demise of her father and the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. PDP, with 27 MLAs in the 87-member Assembly and BJP with 25 legislators, ran a coalition government headed by Sayeed for 10 months before his death. Contending that she was not “resorting to blackmail or bargaining (with Centre)”, the PDP chief said, “The decision of Mufti sahib is acceptable to us… Mufti sahib had taken this decision (of formation government with BJP) for the welfare of the people. His commitment is my commitment. But it is a tough trial for me in the wake of void created by his demise.” Arguing that Jammu and Kashmir is not like any other state of the country, she said, “It is not Punjab, Rajasthan or Assam. We face a lot difficulties here. There are problems within problems. To face these difficulties, we need to have strength and to have that conducive atmosphere.” — PTI