PDP seeks help from separatists

Main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has stirred a hornet’s nest by seeking an alliance with separatists to jointly take on the Centre over demilitarisation of the state and repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

PDP, which was earlier being accused of soft-separatism, has now come out openly in seeking cooperation of separatists. “We can hold on to our respective views on issues where we differ, but it would help if we join hands on common demands,” PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said.

“If all of us are demanding the revocation of AFSPA and reduction of troops or release of political prisoners, it makes little sense not to join hands,” she said.

“PDP is playing vote-bank politics. If the party is a well-wisher of the people, its members should resign from the assembly and join the separatists and fight for the right of self-determination of people of J&K,” Hurriyat hawk Ali Shah Geelani said.

PDP has 21 MLAs in the 87-member assembly. The party ran a coalition government with the Congress for five-and-a-half years from 2002.