Putting an end to days of speculation, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti resigned on Tuesday. The announcement comes days after the Bharatiya Janata Party ended its alliance with her People’s Democratic Party, TV news channels reported.
Post resignation, the former CM said:
"I have submitted my resignation to the Governor. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had entered into this alliance, thinking that BJP is a big party which had got a big mandate," Mehbooba Mufti said
Further she added, "The healing touch policy of PDP is the only policy which will work in Jammu and Kashmir. Muscular policy won't work in Jammu and Kashmir."
"We did not enter into this alliance for power" - Mehbooba Mufti
"We had not entered into this alliance for power. The bigger objective for this alliance was unilateral ceasefire, peace in the Valley, talks with Pakistan. We did not do this for power," said the outgoing chief minister.
She was the first woman Chief Minister of the state. Now, with the CM's chair vacant, the militancy-affected state is in a political crisis
As expected, the CM had called an emergency meeting of her party ministers earlier today and resigned.
“It has become untenable for the BJP to continue with the alliance in Jammu and Kashmir,” said senior BJP leader Ram Madhav at a press conference in Delhi, Hindustan Times reported.
“Given the security situation, and the need to handle the situation, we feel Governor’s rule was necessary,” said Madhav, adding that the state will now possibly go under the central government’s administration. Not only the Chief Minister but also eleven BJP ministers of the state government resigned hours after meeting BJP president Amit Shah in Delhi.
The BJP decision was taken after the "situation worsened in the state". The Kathua rape case worked as a build-up to the chaos. Also, the relationship with the PDP became "untenable", said national general secretary Ram Madhav. He said the decision to withdraw support was taken as “it became untenable for BJP to continue in alliance with PDP in Jammu & Kashmir”.
Madhav said “terrorism, violence and radicalisation has increased in the Valley”
To add more fuel to the fire, the recent murder of senior journalist and Rising Kashmir editor Shujaat Bukhari worsened the situation. Madhav said “fundamental rights have come under threat in the Valley”.
Also Read: Landmark: Mehbooba Mufti is Kashmir’s first woman chief minister
“Keeping in mind the larger interest of India's security and integrity, the fact is that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, and in order to control the situation prevailing in the state, we have decided that the rein of power in the state be handed over to the Governor,” Madhav said.
The two-party alliance was formed in 2014.
Feature Image Credit: ohmyindia.com
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