‘Why not?’ Farooq open to taking PDP support

Ahead of counting of votes, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today said the NC-Congress alliance was open to taking the support of the Peoples Democratic Party for government formation. He said the aim of all three parties was betterment of Jammu and Kashmir.

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“Why not? What is wrong with it? We can be rivals in elections but if we all want the good of the people, I will have no objections. I’m sure the Congress will also have no objections,” Farooq told reporters here when asked about the PDP hinting support to the NC and the Congress.

Notably, after exit polls, several PDP leaders have said they were ready to support a secular alliance to keep the BJP out. Asserting there was no harm in allying with the PDP, Farooq said, “If we all work for the same thing, for improvement in the condition of people in the state, removing unemployment, removing all distresses that have occurred in these 10 years, freedom of press... (we can ally).”

Talking to a news agency, Farooq even said if the NC and Congress did not need the PDP’s support to form the government, the alliance would still take it. “Because if we have to go ahead, we have to do it together,” he explained.

However, PDP vice-president Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija also termed the reports on PDP support as “speculation.”

“Unnecessary speculation. Let me put the record straight. PDP’s senior leadership will take a call on extending support to a secular front only once the results are out. This is our official stand,” Iltija posted on X.

Omar too said, “They have not extended support, they have not offered support and we do not know what the voters have decided yet, so I really wish we could put a lid on all this premature speculation for the next 24 hours.”