NC will not join hands with BJP: Akbar Lone

He, however, hinted that NC was ready to join hands with PDP if the latter talks about the welfare of the people of the state

Senior National Conference (NC) leader Mohammad Akbar Lone on Monday categorically said that his party would not join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir.

"We are not going to join hands with the BJP at any cost," he told the media here.

Lone, however, hinted that the National Conference was ready to join hands with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) if the latter talks about the welfare of the people of the state.

"If the PDP talks about regional aspiration then we as a regional party, as a primary party we need to join hands with such people who work for the unity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and we are ready to help them," he said.

According to reports, the core group of the National Conference met at former chief minister Omar Abdullah's residence today to discuss the party affairs. The meeting took place three days after the Governor's rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir.

A fractured verdict in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections last month left no party with a clear majority. The highest number of seats was won by the PDP, but the party with 28 seats fell well short of the 44 seats required to form the government.