'Gujarat model of democracy' appealed J&K Governor, says Chidambaram

New Delhi, Nov 22: Former Union Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday took a dig at the BJP for dissolving Jammu and Kashmir assembly which was under suspension.

Mocking the political development in J&K, Chidambaram said, "Parliamentary democracy standing on its head!"

He said, " As long as no one staked a claim to form government, J&K Governor was happy to keep Assembly under suspension. The moment someone staked a claim, he dissolved the Assembly! Parliamentary democracy standing on its head!."

Taking a potshot at the Centre, he said, "The Westminster model of democracy is outdated. Like in all other matters, it is the Gujarat model that has appealed to the J&K Governor."

After dissolving the assembly, Governor Satyapal Malik said he decided to dissolve the assembly due to "the impossibility of forming a stable government by the coming together of political parties with opposing political ideologies" and "reports of extensive horse-trading and possible exchange of money in order to secure the support of legislators".

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti had tweeted her letter to the Governor claiming the support of 56 lawmakers, including 12 from the Congress and 15 from Omar Abdullah's National Conference. That placed her alliance comfortably ahead of the majority mark of 44 in the 87-member assembly.