In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti has said that all opposition parties will have to unite to fight the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Mehbooba Mufti in a media interview in Srinagar said a grand opposition alliance needs to have Congress as its nucleus but the BJP is dividing the opposition camp to ensure that it does not happen. She also questioned the silence of Samajwadi Party leader Akhikesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati. “Unless and until opposition parties don’t come together, I don’t think there is going to be a formidable opposition to the BJP.

(But), are they in a position to come together with the Indian Enforcement Directorate (ED), National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other agencies at their throat? Look at Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati. They are not saying anything. Why are they silent?” she said. Mehbooba said the BJP government, which came with such a huge mandate, could have done wonders, but, “unfortunately, it seems, as (Delhi chief minister) (Arvind) Kejriwal said, they don’t have any vision for the country”. “The only thing is it seems to be they are ruling this country like a ‘mafia’. If you can’t get things done in your own way, then use all crooked ways,” she added.

The PDP president said with agencies after various politicians, “I have my own doubts if the opposition parties can come together”. “Look at Mamata Banerjee, KCR and Kejriwal in one way. They (BJP) don’t want Congress to lead the opposition as Congress is the main nucleus. They want fragments,” she said. To a question on the state of minorities, Mehbooba said while the Muslims are the first target of the BJP-led government, it goes after everyone who opposes them. “It is not about Muslims anymore. If you look at it, the people who are put in jail this time are not Muslims. Manish Sisodia is not Muslim, you have Sharad Pawar’s people put behind bars, Sanjay Raut was in jail. Now they are going after Rahul Gandhi.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP