SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Thursday said the Congress is likely to join the National Conference-led government, describing the move as a natural outcome of the alliance between the two parties.
Choudhary said the National Conference had wanted the Congress to become part of the government since its formation, but the decision had been left to the Congress.
He said the inclusion of the Congress would strengthen the administration and enable the coalition government to work more effectively for the people.
“As far as Congress is concerned, ever since this government was formed, when we entered into the alliance, it was our desire and we wanted Congress to join,” Choudhary said.
He dismissed suggestions that ministerial positions were being used to bring Congress into the government, saying the relationship between the alliance partners was not based on political inducements.
“We are not BJP people. We are not like the BJP people who do horse-trading,” he said, adding that decisions between the alliance partners should be based on mutual understanding and the interests of the people.
Choudhary also defended the government over criticism of the recent electricity tariff increase, urging comparisons with the record of the previous BJP-PDP administration.
He referred to the government’s electricity amnesty measures and questioned the BJP over the rising prices of essential commodities, including sugar, pulses, vegetables and onions.
The Deputy Chief Minister said inflation was placing a greater burden on poorer households and argued that ordinary people were more concerned about the rising cost of daily necessities than fluctuations in electricity bills.
He also criticised the BJP over the cost of education and healthcare, questioning increases in university fees and hospital charges.
