"I am not shocked. We didn't do this alliance for power,” says Mufti

"I am not shocked. We didn't do this alliance for power,” says Mufti

"I am not shocked. We didn't do this alliance for power,” says Mufti

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti resigned on Tuesday hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party pulled out of the PDP-led coalition government in the state. 

Later, addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Mufti said her party would not go for any other alliance to continue in power.

"I am not shocked. We didn't do this alliance for power. This alliance had a bigger motive—unilateral ceasefire, PM's visit to Pakistan, withdrawal of cases against 11,000 youth..," she said.

 "I submitted my resignation (as J&K CM) to the governor and told him that we are not looking to explore any other alliance," Mufti said.

Earlier, the BJP pulled out of its alliance with the PDP in the state, saying it has become impossible to continue in the government in view of the growing radicalism and terrorism in the state.

The decision to withdraw was taken after consulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah, the party's general secretary Ram Madhav announced at a press conference here.

The BJP's move raises the possibility of governor's rule in the volatile state, the eighth time since it was imposed in 1977. Madhav himself said the party favours governor's rule.

Immediately after his news conference, senior PDP minister and party's chief spokesperson Naeem Akhthar told reporters in Srinagar that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti would be submitting her resignation to Governor N.N. Vohra.

The BJP blamed the PDP for failing to improve the security conditions in the Kashmir Valley. Madhav cited last week's killing of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari in the heart of Srinagar in the highly secured area of Press Enclave by unidentified gunmen. The same day —wo days before Eid—an Army jawan was abducted while going on Eid leave and killed.

In the state elections in 2015, the BJP won 25 seats and the PDP 28 in the 87-member assembly. The two parties came together to form government with an Agenda of Alliance.

BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta told reporters in Delhi that he and his ministerial colleagues have submitted their resignations to the governor as well as to the chief minister.

The Congress, which has 12 seats in the assembly, said there is no question of an alliance with the PDP.

The other major party in the state is the National Conference with 15 seats. NC leader Omar Abdullah only posted a cryptic remark on Twitter: "And so it has come to pass..."

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