'Greed for power'' will never allow Mufti to pull out: Farooq

Srinagar, Oct 27 (UNI) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today said the ''greed for power'' will never allow his successor and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to pull out of the Congress-led coalition government in the state.

He held Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ministers directly responsible for failure of the coalition government in the state.

The National Conference (NC) patron expressed surprise over the way the coalition government was functioning in the state. ''This marriage of inconvenience has proved a failure. I have no doubts in my mind that the experiment has turned out to be fatal for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,'' he added.

''What is stopping the PDP to pull out? It is their own greed for power and nothing else,'' Dr Abdullah said, referring to repeated threats by the PDP to pull out of the coalition government.

He also expressed surprise over the ''compulsion'' of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to continue the alliance with ''such opportunists''. ''Let them (the PDP) go if they want and let the people decide their own fate.'' Dr Abdullah said the PDP would do everything to stick to power as it was their compulsion to be there. ''Threats, threats and threats is what we have been hearing from the past three years.'' The NC leader said since the PDP lost its command over the coalition government, it was doing its best to prove Mr Azad a failure. ''The tug of war between the coalition partners is now ultimately proving fatal for the people who were already facing bloodshed and violence,'' he added.

''They (PDP) had built castles in air before the elections, but now they stand exposed. It is unfortunate that once in power, we forget our pledges and play ego games. This greed for power and control leads to internal intolerance and difference within.'' Dr Abdullah said the PDP legislators were holding important portfolios, but their repeated threats were not allowing the government to function.

Referring to the coming Assembly elections in the state, he said the NC would go to people with its policies and programmes. ''We have faith in the people and will not make hollow promises and try to win the elections by befooling them.'' See what they had promised before the last elections and what they have done. ''We will only make such promises which we know we can work on and accomplish after coming to power,'' he said.

Describing the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir as regrettable, Dr Abdullah said the state was going through the crisis of power, unemployment and the lack of accountability. ''We are badly facing power crisis which deters industrialists to come over and set up their units in the state,'' he added.

The former Chief Minister said the Baglihar Hydro Electric Project was to be completed this year, but would now be accomplished next year only. ''The government should come out with explanation before the general masses about its failures,'' he added.

About troop reduction in Jammu and Kashmir, the NC patron said the PDP was making it an issue for its own political gains. ''We also want that the troops be relocated immediately from the interior areas of the state. We are serious about the issue and want New Delhi to act upon it immediately,'' he added.

Dr Abdullah said the government should understand that it was an important matter. ''Troops need to be relocated if the government wants to win over the hearts and minds of the common people in Jammu and Kashmir,'' he added.

UNI