| 'To counter BJP, PDP asked Drabu to praise CM' | | |
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Mar 22: Former Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu praised Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti even after his sacking to counter the BJP, which was pressuring the CM to bring him back into the cabinet.
Drabu was removed from the council of ministers by Mufti over his remark that Kashmir was "not a political issue."
His removal has not gone well within the BJP as its members were mounting pressuring on the party leadership and asking why Drabu was removed while the anti-nationals were moving freely.
"BJP was pressuring Mehbooba that Drabu should be brought back to the cabinet as his sacking has sent a wrong message that anti-nationals were being encouraged while those who are nationalists are being sacked," a PDP leader said.
Subsequently, he said the PDP asked Drabu to issue a statement wherein he said the government is making serious and sincere efforts under the leadership of Mehbooba to improve the systems for efficient delivery of public services.
"We made determined efforts during the past three years to make the governance accessible to the people and the process will continue in the rest half of the term of our government under the leadership of Mehbooba," Drabu said while interacting with the PDP workers from his Rajpora constituency.
"This statement was issued after the PDP leadership asked him to counter the BJP," the PDP leader said.
"BJP knows that removal of Drabu could be used a poll-plank by the parties especially in Jammu. The BJP is already facing pressure from the people as how few ministers were encouraging anti-national activities," a BJP leader said.
The BJP leadership in Jammu and in New Delhi are not happy with some of the recent decisions of Mehbooba, including the treatment meted out to Drabu, and also the CM's refusal to hand over the Kathua case to the CBI, as has been demanded by the BJP ministers.
"I was a minister for three years, working for the state, and now for the next three years I will work for the constituency which elected me enabling me to hold responsible positions in the state government," Drabu had said, adding he would continue to work for the party in whatever capacity or whatever role is assigned to him by the PDP president ,Mehbooba.
Earlier, two days after his sacking, Drabu had said Mehbooba Mufti's decision to sack him came as a surprise to him and added the manner in which he was informed about it was shocking.
Drabu had said that he did not get chance to explain his side and learnt the party's decision through the media.
"Few days later, he praised the Mehbooba to counter the BJP," the BJP leader added. |
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