Don't compel me to reveal things: Baigh to Muftis

Srinagar, Sep 2 (UNI) Outgoing Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baigh today virtually sounded a warning to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter and party chief Mehbooba Mufti not to initiate ''conspiracies'' against him.

''I hope they (Mr Sayeed and Ms Mufti) will not compel me to reveal things that are in bad taste,'' Mr Baigh told a crowded news conference here.

''I will not initiate conspiracies against them unless they do first. I won't call Mufti a murderer or abuse him like others. I treated him like a father and will continue to do so,'' he added.

Mr Baigh said Mr Sayeed has a greater and important political role to play in Jammu and Kashmir. ''Unfortunately, he is surrounded by psychophants and wreckers. During the past couple of months, he (Mr Sayeed) has fallen into their trap. This not good for the state or the PDP,'' he added.

''There are people in the PDP who want Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to be disgraced. I didn't want that and am being punished.

There are also people in the party who on the one hand were part of the coalition government and on the other oppose it,'' the outgoing Deputy Chief Minister alleged.

However, he said this was not an opportune time to spell out conspiracies. ''I feel betrayed by the party. The treatment meted out to me is an attempt to wreck me and destroy the PDP. It is unfortunate that for certain political interests, people become personal and start washing dirty linen in public,'' he added.

Mr Baigh said he did not want to undermine the position of the ruling coalition. ''Let me tell you, the PDP on its own cannot win the next elections or form the next government in the state. It needs a coalition partner and the Congress is a natural ally. I knew it fully well, so I had never been engaged in wrecking the coalition,'' he added.

UNI AG VD DS1435