Surinder Choudhary says NC-Congress alliance intact; hopes for early restoration of Statehood
Srinagar, Oct 13: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Monday said that both Mehbooba Mufti and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) receive similar “love letters” from Delhi, implying that their political messages are scripted from the same source.
Talking to reporters, Choudhary remarked, “Like BJP, Mehbooba Mufti also receives love letters from Delhi, and she reads the same letter here as the Leader of the Opposition reads. The script remains the same.” His comments appeared to be a sharp dig at both parties, suggesting that their political narratives were coordinated to serve mutual interests.
The Deputy Chief Minister reaffirmed that the National Conference (NC) and the Congress remain united in their political understanding and coordination. “Congress is our alliance partner, and there are no differences of opinion between NC and Congress,” he said, dismissing speculations about rifts between the two parties.
Responding to questions about the Rajya Sabha elections from Jammu and Kashmir, Choudhary said it would be “premature” to make any announcement regarding seat-sharing arrangements with the Congress. “It will be premature to say anything about the Rajya Sabha seat that is being shared with Congress,” he said.
On the issue of restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, the Deputy Chief Minister expressed optimism, saying the government hopes for an outcome similar to the conduct of recent Assembly elections under the supervision of the Supreme Court. “We hope the way elections were conducted in Jammu and Kashmir on the directions of the Supreme Court, the same way Statehood will be restored on the directions of the Supreme Court,” he said. [KNT]
