NEWS

'I was asked to topple Mufti govt'

By Sumir Kaul in New Delhi
May 04, 2003 16:17 IST

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said Panther's Party president Bhim Singh had asked him for help in toppling the Mufti Mohammed Sayeed government in Jammu and Kashmir.

The statement is likely to cause political upheaval in J&K because Singh is an ally of the Mufti's People's Democratic Party.

"The Panther's Party leader came to me and showed me a list of MLAs who were supporting an alternative government, but I told him they should prove their majority before the governor," Abdullah, who is now a Rajya Sabha member, said in New Delhi.

"There are so many MLAs waiting to defect and lead the state to political instability, but we are not in favour of that," he added.

Asked what would be the role of the NC if the government collapsed, he said, "We will like to cross the bridge when it comes. We will weigh all possibilities before taking any decision."

Singh denied the charge. "There is no truth in the statement of Abdullah... There is no reason to topple the present coalition government," he said.

"Panther's Party is in the coalition government... for betterment of people of the state.

"In fact, it is part of the NC's attempt to destabilise the coalition government. Abdullah is trying to create confusion in the coalition government as well as among its partners."

Sumir Kaul in New Delhi
Source: PTI
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