Some initiatives need to be taken with regard to agenda of alliance with BJP: Mehbooba Mufti

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Srinagar: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Monday that some initiatives needed to be taken with regard to agenda of alliance that was formed with the BJP.

Mehbooba added that her late father Mufti Sayeed's decision to have the alliance with the saffron party was like a "will" to be fufilled by his children even if they get "consumed" while doing so.

Mehbooba, seen as successor to Sayeed as Chief Minister, said her father's decision to ally with BJP was "patther ki lakeer (something carved in stone)" and "I stand by his word".

"I want to make one thing clear, that it (alliance with BJP) is a decision taken by Sayeed and I respect it. When a father makes a 'will' to his children, it's their responsibility to fulfill that 'will' even if they get consumed while doing so," the PDP leader further said.

Mehbooba said the decision of Sayeed to form an alliance government with BJP and "to shake hands with the government at the Centre was for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, to maintain unity of the state, and for peace and development."

However, there was another aspect of that decision that it was aimed at "benefiting the people of the state through implementation of the 'Agenda of Alliance' chalked out between the two parties," she maintained.

"I will sit on the chair only if I feel I will fulfil the dreams of Sayeed for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The chair is needed for the people of the state, not for myself. If I will get the chair just for myself and my family, then I don't need it as I don't have such ambitions. If I had such an ambition, I would have taken the chair during the lifetime of my father," she said.

On March 05, Mehbooba had said that the Narendra Modi government should take "decisive confidence-building measures" to create an environment wherein effective governance could be possible in the state.

She had also said that the central government shall have to reach out to Jammu and Kashmir to end the "gloomy scenario of despair and alienation" as addressing the genuine political, economic and security concerns goes beyond power politics.

"Peace, stability are pre-requisites for development, effective governance," Mehbooba had said addressing a gathering of PDP workers in Vijaypur in Samba district of Jammu while launching the party's membership drive, as per PTI.

Mehbooba had added, "effective development and good governance in J&K is possible only in an environment of peace and stability which necessitates decisive confidence building measures to be taken by the political leadership in New Delhi."

(With Agency inputs)