Will Govt In J&K Change? BJP Claims NC MLAs 'Ready To Defect For Free'

BJP's Sunil Sharma claims NC MLAs are "ready to defect for free" but insists the party will seek power in J&K only through an electoral mandate.

Sharma alleged that every NC MLAs were willing to switch sides without any inducement but said the BJP had no interest in accepting them.

Source : ABP Live

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• Party plans protest July 20, citing government's multiple failures.

Jammu and Kashmir BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma has claimed that National Conference (NC) legislators are "ready to defect for free", while insisting that the BJP has no intention of destabilising the Omar Abdullah-led government. Speaking to ABP Live ahead of the party's proposed protest on July 20, Sharma said the BJP would only form a government in the Union Territory after securing a public mandate, rejecting any suggestion that it would seek power by engineering defections.

NC MLAs 'Ready To Defect'

Sharma alleged that every NC legislators were willing to switch sides without any inducement but said the BJP had no interest in accepting them.

"They are ready to defect for free, but we are not ready to take them. If we are not looking to form a government, why would we take their MLAs?" he said.

The Leader of Opposition maintained that the BJP would not attempt to bring down the current government to return to power. Instead, he argued that many of the Centre's key positions on Jammu and Kashmir had already been accepted by the present administration.

He cited the abrogation of Article 370, the removal of Article 35A, the promise of restoring statehood and the ban on organisations such as Jamaat-e-Islami and Hurriyat as examples where, according to him, the government's stance now aligns with that of the BJP.

Sharma also asserted that there were no political prisoners in Jammu and Kashmir, claiming those in custody were "anti-social elements". He added that if implementing these policies had required the BJP to be in power, the party would have sought to form a government.

BJP Rules Out Backdoor Bid For Power

Sunil Sharma defended the BJP's planned protest on July 20, saying it was intended to highlight what the party described as the failures of the Omar Abdullah government.

According to Sharma, the demonstration would be a significant moment in Jammu and Kashmir's politics. He accused the government of undermining the rights of young people, favouring its supporters in recruitment through outsourcing, allowing corruption to increase and delaying panchayat elections.

"As the principal opposition party, it is our responsibility to raise the concerns of the people," Sharma said. He added that BJP workers would march to the Civil Secretariat on July 20 to "expose the government" and hold it accountable over its governance.