‘Golden era’ under Vajpayee regime, suffered in PM Modi’s time: Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar: Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said that Jammu and Kashmir prospered when Atal Behari Vajpayee was the prime minister of India while she “suffered” by joining hands with the BJP led by Narendra Modi.
Mehbooba was addressing her party workers and supporters in winter capital Jammu on the 19th Foundation Day celebration of the Peoples Democratic Party Monday. During her speech, Mehbooba claimed that J&K prospered under the patronage of Vajpayee-led central government even though the PDP and Congress were alliance partners in the state.
“Mufti Sahab (Mufti Mohammed Sayeed) agreed to join hands with BJP again (in 2015) because we had a good understanding during Vajpayee ji’s reign. But this time, it was a difficult decision. Forming an alliance with the BJP was like drinking poison. I suffered during the two years and two months of the alliance,” Mehbooba was quoted as having said by ANI news agency.
Recalling the Vajpayee era Mehbooba said: “Mufti Sahab and his time in the government was the golden time for the state. The state developed and prospered during that time. The militant activities were in control and there was peace in the state. There was ceasefire on the border. We constructed roads, colleges and universities.”