Jammu- Senior BJP leader Ravinder Raina on Tuesday distanced his party from the developments within the National Conference, saying it had no role in MP Aga Ruhullah’s resignation and would not resort to defections or political manoeuvring to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, he warned that the National Conference (NC) would face significant difficulties and challenges in the coming days.
“We have absolutely nothing to do with the turmoil within the National Conference. Whether its MLAs are raising the banner of rebellion or an MP is resigning, it is their internal matter. They have to deal with it themselves,” Raina, former president of J&K BJP, told reporters at the party headquarters here.
He also described Ruhullah as a “very shrewd politician” and pointed out that he had served as an MLA three times and had also held a ministerial position in J&K.
Srinagar MP Ruhullah on Tuesday announced his resignation from the NC and his Lok Sabha seat at a rally in Budgam marking the 26th death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi, who was assassinated in 2000.
Raina referred to reports of nearly 25 NC MLAs expressing dissent, saying the developments pointed towards growing internal tensions and a deepening crisis within the ruling party.
NC president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah must take responsibility for resolving the situation, he said.
“If there is a turmoil within their own house, it is for Abdullah and Omar to put their house in order. Why should we be concerned? We have nothing to do with it,” the BJP leader said.
Rejecting reports that the BJP was in touch with the disgruntled NC MLAs or was attempting to exploit the internal differences to form a government, Raina said such claims were baseless.
“The claims that the BJP is in touch with 25 MLAs or is planning something behind the scenes are completely false. This is nothing but political propaganda,” he said.
Making the BJP’s position clear on government formation, Raina said the party would not rely on defections or political manoeuvring to come to power in J&K.
“Whenever the BJP gets a mandate from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, we will form our government. It will never happen that some MLAs rebel against a party and the BJP uses defections or political manoeuvring to form a government,” Raina said.
However, the BJP leader warned that the ruling party could face significant political challenges in the coming days.
“As a political worker, I can say that the ruling party in J&K is going to face major difficulties and challenges in the days ahead. A mountain of troubles is approaching them,” he claimed.
In Budgam, Ruhullah handed his resignation letter to Mohammad Ashraf Mattoo, father of teenager Tufail Mattoo, who was killed in security forces’ action against protesters in early 2010, asking him to forward it to Farooq Abdullah.
Tufail’s death had triggered massive protests against the then-government headed by Omar Abdullah, in which Ruhullah was a Cabinet minister.
