A day after former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah launched a whisper campaign suggesting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was perhaps again in touch with People's Democratic Party (PDP) through RSS leader and former party general secretary, Ram Madhav one of his long time close aide, Devender Singh Rana, who dumped him and joined BJP on Tuesday hit back claiming 'power hungry' Omar Abdullah repeatedly approached top BJP and RSS leaders for forming a Government in J&K after 2014 Assembly polls.
Interacting with the media persons in the Kangan area of Ganderbal district after party MP Mian Altaf's son Mian Mehar Ali filed his nomination papers from the seat on Monday Omar told reporters in response to a question, "There is no doubt in the fact that if there is any party that has good connections with Ram Madhav, it is the PDP. He was the man behind the 2015 BJP-PDP alliance. He is perhaps being brought again for the same purpose".
In response, Devender Rana, younger brother of MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh told reporters today Omar is saying that all political parties of Kashmir are part of the BJP and are close to it whereas the "reality is the opposite".
Rana said in 2014 Omar met senior leaders of the BJP and RSS in Delhi and offered unconditional support to BJP for Government formation in J&K and also agreed to a full-term BJP Chief Minister. Rana said, "Now, you (Omar) are saying that Ram Madhav is close to PDP but the truth is that you repeatedly approached top BJP and RSS leaders for forming a Government in J&K".
In Srinagar PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti also responded to Omar's jibe. "We don't do anything 'chupke chupke'. When we were talking to Ram Madhav, we did so openly. Devender Singh Rana is saying all this now, but Ghulam Nabi Azad has been saying that they (NC) go and talk to them (BJP) in the night. Mufti said Ram Madhav might have come here but we have no contact with him..."
Rana further reminded Omar that he was the union minister in the Vajpayee Government but today he is saying that NC has nothing to do with the BJP. Rana said, "In 2014, when NC had 15 MLAs, Omar went to Delhi and met senior most leaders of the BJP and also knocked on the doors of RSS leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah and the then J&K Incharge, Ram Madhav and offered unconditional support to the BJP for forming Government in J&K".
