PDP asks Congress to decide on alliance

The Peoples Democratic Party indicated on Monday that it would like to revive its alliance with the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir but said it is up to them to decide as to which party they would like to allign with.

"It is now for the Congress to decide on the alliance. It has to see with which party it could consolidate the gains made in the state over the past five and half years since the 2002 elections," party chief Mehbooba Mufti told PTI.

Mehbooba's remarks assume significance as the National Conference announced on Monday that it will seek the help of Congress to form the next government in the state under the leadership of Omar Abdullah.

The PDP and the Congress ruled in Jammu and Kashmir by turns with two parties getting the chief minister's post in rotation but fell out with each other in the aftermath of the Amarnath land row.

The PDP withdrew support to the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led government in June, leading to  resignation of the then chief minister Ghulan Nabi Azad followed by dissolution of the state assembly and promulgation of Governor's rule in the state. Mehbooba said her party was still part of the UPA and there was no reason why the alliance cannot be revived in the state.

"The Congress has a history with National Conference ... it has a history with us too. They have to decide which party they want to allign with," Mehbooba said.

The PDP bagged 21 seats, while the Congress emerged victorious in 17 in the assembly elections.