PDP-BJP alliance won’t break, but Jammu & Kashmir CM will be from PDP, not rotation policy: Nazir Ahmad Laway

Nazir Ahmad Laway is PDP Rajya Sabha MP. Even as speculation grows over Mehbooba Mufti’s next political move, Laway spoke with Rohit E David about whether PDP might walk away from BJP towards Congress, the challenges Mehbooba faces – and which party in Kashmir should give the state its new chief minister:

There’s political buzz about the PDP-BJP alliance , won’t breaking this destabilise Kashmir?

Well, right now, Mehbooba Muftiji is in shock. After a few days, you’ll see a clear picture. We are in alliance with BJP – and PDP is in no rush. We are not a party which has been hungry for power. Earlier too, when the PDP-BJP coalition was formed, it took two months. Now too, it will take time. We are in shock after the demise of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Presently, we’re not in a position to say that we can break away from BJP.

But after Sonia Gandhi’s visit, isn’t PDP considering going with Congress?

Sonia Gandhi is a big leader of our country. She’d come to express her solidarity after Muftiji’s passing. Let me tell you clearly, at that time, no talks were held on any political issue. Don’t add anything more – we have an alliance with BJP. We’ll see what our leaders say in the next few days.

If PDP does walk away, won’t that encourage hardliners and spoil Kashmir’s ties with the Centre?

First of all, the alliance with BJP won’t break – BJP has got a massive mandate in the Lok Sabha elections. We are a state-level party. Mehboobaji will have to take all regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh together. We want the state to run with the country. We have nothing to do with hardliners. Our task is to run J&K according to the Constitution.

We’ll face anyone who becomes a hurdle to us. As far as ties with the Centre are concerned, we have an alliance with BJP – why should we say that our ties with them will break off ? It’s been a fruitful, forwardmoving partnership. We haven’t faced any problems. The 10 months we’ve been in power is too short a period for anything to happen. The results of our work will show in the near future. We want this alliance to go on – with Mehboobaji as its head.

So, PDP will only accept its own CM – not one of BJP’s?

PDP was number one in the electoral process – automatically, the chief minister will come from the party which has more representation. We don’t believe in a rotation policy.

Does Mehbooba Mufti fit the CM’s shoes?

She is a strong politician. For years, she’s been Muftiji’s grip at ground level. She knows her region. She’ll overcome problems now. Important challenges are to bring the state back on its feet after the natural calamity that destroyed it – infrastructure was finished, we have issues with unemployment, agriculture, etc. She’ll address these. She’s not different from her father. Mehboobaji will complete Muftiji’s unfinished work.

Did Mufti ever think of breaking away from BJP?

No – I don’t think that even the thought came to him.