KL Report
SRINAGAR
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President has said National Conference is first time facing a structured opposition within the system and is not able to handle the situation. She said on Wednesday, “The frustration of the National Conference was understood.”
Mehbooba was today addressing a series of meetings at Aloosa, Bandipur town and Sumlar in the North Kashmiri’s Bandipora constituency. In Bandipur town she addressed a youth convention.
The PDP president said the NC had taken power for granted and perceived itself as the successor to the Maharaja and believed in the emotional exploitation and personal friendships in Delhi as license to the power. “It always preferred to push dissent beyond the constitutional space, so that it could seek an unchallenged mandate for its political and personal ends, Mehbooba said.
“That is why the state was disempowered; its economy shattered; its resources sold-out but the personal properties and fortunes of NC leadership kept swelling,” she said.
Mehbooba said, “for the first time in its history NC is facing the prospect of rout in elections because of its inefficiency, lack of sincerity and political bankruptcy, which has virtually landed the state into anarchy. The state government lacks central authority and all its ministers run their kingdoms in various departments.”
Mehbooba further said, “Previously, it would not have mattered because the NC would continue to win elections in absence of a viable and structured opposition, which is gaining ground in all the regions of the state.” Mehbooba added that the PDP is giving nightmare to the ruling coalition, which is not able to build a narrative about its own performance which actually is nonexistent.
Mehbooba said in a democratic setup it is the assigned job of opposition to oppose the government and point out its deficiencies and fallacies. That is what the PDP has been doing and will continue to do as long as it stays in the opposition.
The PDP chief said, “We can never compromise on the interests of the people and the state.” However, she said, “it is very unusual that a government should only be worried about the opposition and be critical of it as the Omar Abdullah’s government is behaving in relation with the PDP.”
“Why don’t they count their achievements rather than go after the opposition weaving cock and bull stories to keep their cadres together,” Mehbooba said.
Mehbooba said it would normally have been amusing that a chief minister should say ‘how is the chief minister responsible for somebody who sells professional seats’, as Omar Abdullah said in Jammu, the other day. “Who else is responsible if not the head of the administration who in this case repeatedly oversaw the extensions to a tainted officer at sensitive positions?” Mehbooba said and added “The fact is that he (Mushtaq Peer) made money there under the very nose of the government, makes it more sinister than it would appear.”
