All parties in J&K maintain working ties with Centre: Altaf Bukhari

Srinagar, Oct 4: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party President Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari on Saturday said that every political party in Jammu and Kashmir, regardless of its public stance, maintains a working relationship with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He accused several parties of deceiving voters by promising to keep BJP away from power during elections while later collaborating with the same party.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Bukhari said, “Every political party in Jammu and Kashmir has a working relation with the central government. During elections, every party promises to keep BJP away from power but later on they work with the same party.”
The Apni Party chief cited the example of the 2014 elections, recalling how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Mehbooba Mufti had vowed to prevent the BJP from entering power corridors but ended up forming a coalition government with it. “In 2014, Mehbooba Mufti promised people that she will keep BJP at bay but later on the same party joined hands with BJP,” Bukhari remarked, adding that “PDP runs with the help of BJP. There is a fixed match between the two parties.”
Bukhari, whose party has often been viewed as maintaining pragmatic ties with the central leadership, said that political alliances in Jammu and Kashmir have historically revolved around convenience rather than conviction. “The people of J&K have been repeatedly misled by tall promises that are forgotten once the results are declared,” he observed.
Commenting on National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah’s repeated assertions that his party would not ally with the BJP under any circumstance, Bukhari said, “If Omar Abdullah claims that NC will not ally with BJP, that means he is morally correct because he came to power on the promise that he will keep BJP out of power.”
He added that politics in Jammu and Kashmir needs transparency and consistency, stressing that parties should stand by what they tell the people before elections. “Political credibility can only be restored when leaders uphold their word and avoid political opportunism,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of incarcerated legislator Mehraj Malik attending the upcoming Assembly session, Bukhari said the matter lies entirely within the court’s domain. “It’s up to the court whether it will allow incarcerated Mehraj Malik to attend the Assembly,” he said, refusing to comment further on the issue. [KNT]