After warning Centre against breaking PDP, Mehbooba Mufti calls for inviting Hurriyat for talks

Mehbooba Mufti had earlier warned Centre against breaking her party PDP.

JAMMU: Days after she warned the Centre against breaking her party People's Democratic Party (PDP), former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has now pressed for the inclusion of Hurriyat Conference leaders in talks over Kashmir.

Addressing a rally, Mehbooba Mufti said, ''The PDP took initiative for the ceasefire during Ramzan. I appeal to the Centre to show a positive attitude towards Hurriyat and aim to bring them to the table to start a dialogue.''

PDP took initiative for ceasefire during Ramzan. I appeal to the Centre to show positive attitude towards Hurriyat & aim to bring them at the table to start dialogue: Former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti pic.twitter.com/q9S0BRI1YF — ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2018

The PDP leader had sometimes back warned the Centre of serious consequences if attempts were made to break her party.

''If Delhi, tries to dismiss the voting rights of people like 1987, if it tries to create divisions and interfere like that then I think just like a Salahuddin and a Yasin Malik were born in 1987...if it tries to break PDP like that then outcomes will be dangerous,'' the PDP leader had said.

#WATCH: Former J&K CM M Mufti says'Agar Dilli ne 1987 ki tarah yahan ki awam ke vote pe daaka dala, agar iss kism ki tod fod ki koshish ki,jis tarah ek Salahuddin ek Yasin Malik ne janm liya...agar Dilliwalon ne PDP ko todne ki koshish ki uski nataish bahut zyada khatarnaak hogi' pic.twitter.com/LmC7V4OwN2 — ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2018

Mehbooba Mufti made these remarks weeks after the BJP severed its ties with the PDP and pulled out of the ruling coalition government in J&K.

Though the PDP leader did not name BJP, her comments were seen as a direct warning to the saffron party. 

Reacting to her statement, BJP said that ''Delhi joins, not breaks.'' 

The saffron party also attacked the PDP leader of glorifying separatists like Salahuddin and a Yasin Malik and dubbed them as her 'political heroes'. 

Mufti had earlier warned the BJP soon after it ended its ties with PDP and said that any attempt to engineer defections in her party “will erode the trust of the Kashmiris in Indian democracy”.

“If Delhi intervenes and breaks our party, and makes Sajad Lone or whosoever as the Chief Minister, it will erode the trust of the Kashmiris in Indian democracy. Any intervention from Delhi will be taken seriously,” the PDP chief had said.

She said this amid reports of BJP trying to engineer a split in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) after breaking away from its erstwhile ally, in order to form a government in the J&K.

“It (any attempt to break the parties) can have serious repercussions and will strengthen the forces calling for the boycott of elections, as it will send out a message that mandate of the people is not being respected,” PDP chief had said.

After sharing power for nearly three years with PDP in J&K, 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.