Mehbooba Mufti hits out at BJP, says alliance in Jammu and Kashmir was like drinking poison

Srinagar: Days after parting ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jammu and Kashmir, People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said that the alliance was like drinking poison. She said that she had suffered throughout the course of the coalition government in the state.

Referring to her late father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, the former J&K chief minister said that he chose to join hands with the saffron party for a second time because they had a good alliance during the reign of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"Mufti Sahab agreed to join hands with BJP again because we had a good alliance during Vajpayee ji reign. But this time, it was a difficult decision. Forming an alliance with BJP was like drinking poison. I suffered during the two years two months of alliance," Mehbooba Mufti said.

Mehbooba's government came under fire after BJP pulled out the three-year-old ruling coalition with PDP and called for Governor's rule in the state, forcing her to resign as the chief minister.

The BJP decided to pull out of the coalition government owing to the former's soft posturing towards separatists and stone-pelters.

Mufti's party was also reportedly against the Centre's decision to revoke and not extend the temporary suspension of anti-terror operations during the holy month of Ramzan.

After the BJP pulled out of the coalition government, Governor's Rule was imposed in the state and the assembly was put under suspended animation. The PDP leadership has since faced rebellion from at least six MLAs and an MLC.