PM Modi on ABP: Differences over conducting J-K civil body polls led to BJP-PDP split

PM Modi said that the major point behind which the BJP and PDP had a dispute was conducting the civil body elections in Jammu and Kashmir. BJP wanted that the municipal and panchayat elections should happen but PDP thought otherwise

PM Modi (Source: PTI)

New Delhi: With the general elections just round the corner, PM Modi in a free-flowing and exclusive interview with ABP News's Rubika Liyaquat and Sumit Awasthi, spoke at length on critical issues like BJP's governance in the last 60 months, BJP-PDP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, the Gandhi-Nehru family, demonetization allegations and the opposition's charges that economy has flat-lined. In one of the questions posed to PM Modi, ABP News asked if BJP's alliance with People's Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir and did he feel that it was a mistake on BJP's part ABP News Question: Do you feel that BJP forging an alliance with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir was a mistake PM Modi's reply: The day we got into an alliance with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir, the political situation in Jammu and Kashmir was quite blurred. There was no single party which could claim or was in a position to form the government. If National Conference would have forged an alliance with the PDP, we would have been happy to sit in the opposition. We waited for three months and no government was formed. We then decided to forge an alliance with the PDP with a common minimum  agenda. We tried our best to run a government and did some good work for the welfare of the people. However when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed  passed away and we had to restart with Mehbooba Mufti. She had a different style of functioning. The major point behind which the parties had a dispute was local body elections in Jammu and Kashmir. We wanted that the municipal and panchayat elections should happen for the betterment of the people. Secondly like all panchayats in the country, the panchayats in J-K should get money directly from the state government. However PDP had a different thought process. They said that elections would result in a lot of blood shed and would hamper the law and order situation in the state. He added that the PDP dint want power in the hands of the panchayats. In the end we had to part ways and Governor's rule eventually came into the state. Elections eventually happened and the panchayats could work with more efficiency with money at their disposal . The voter turnout was quite healthy and the same was reflective in a 70-70 percent turnout. This was a proud moment for the country and even one should take notice of it.