PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Friday said she is not adamant on the precondition that the Centre first initiate confidence-building measures (CBMs) to create a congenial atmosphere for its functioning.

“Mein jiddi nahin hoon. Agar mujhe laghta hai ki central government riyasat ki behtari ke liye kaam kar raha hai to mujhe sarkar bananey mein koi objection nahin hai (I am not adamant. If I feel that the Centre is working for the welfare of the state, I will have no objection in forming the government),” she told party workers.

“However, if it is only for the sake of government formation, or to delay polls, or to provide some work to MLAs, let me make it clear that I am not ready,” she added.

Soon after meeting the Governor, on February 2, Mehbooba had told mediapersons, “Before the government is formed in coalition with BJP, the Government of India shall take certain J&K-specific CBMs to win the trust of the people so that the new government gets space to function. These CBMs should not be only Kashmir specific, but also relating to Jammu and Ladakh regions”.

Mehbooba told party workers, “Mufti (Mohammad Sayeed) Sahib had a vision. He wanted to showcase Jammu and Kashmir, the country’s only Muslim-majority state, as a symbol of communal harmony. He wanted peace on the borders with Pakistan. PM Narendra Modi had a massive mandate, and he visited Lahore to meet his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif. His predecessor Manmohan Singh could not visit even his village, even though he is a good human being. We have to carry forward his (Sayeed) vision”.

She added, “The biggest advantage of improved relations between the two countries has been that Pakistan has arrested the accused in Pathankot attack. There has also been peace on the borders. But why has there been no peace in Jammu and Kashmir?”

By Premji