Our alliance with PDP is strong as ever, says J-K BJP chief

Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Satpal Sharma on Wednesday said their alliance with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) was strong as ever, in the wake of Kathua gangrape and murder case.

He further said all BJP ministers have tendered their resignations to him and the decision on names in the reshuffle will be taken after the discussions with the central leaders.

"As far as our alliance with PDP is concerned, it is as strong as ever," he said.

"All our (BJP) ministers have tendered their resignations to me. We will take decisions on names in the reshuffle after discussions with the central leaders," he added.

Yesterday, the BJP asked its ministers in Mehbooba Mufti-led government to submit their resignation as the party has decided to reshuffle its ministers.

The ministers were asked to resign to make way for the new inductees.

"BJP ministers asked to resign from Jammu and Kashmir government to make way for new inductees. It is a reshuffle and nothing else," sources had told ANI.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by party vice-president Avinash Rai Khanna.

Sharma's assertion on the ties comes amid the national public outrage over the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old Muslim girl in the Kathua district and the resignations of two BJP ministers Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, who had attended an event held to honour the accused in the case.