Mufti's claims that MLAs threatened to leave PDP 'false': BJP

The BJP today termed as "falsehood" former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti's reported statement that her MLAs were being "threatened" with NIA raids to leave the party.

"The statement of Mehbooba reflects that she is suffering from frustration and is now banking on lies to gain public sympathy to hide her failures," a spokesman of the BJP said in a statement here.

In an interview to a TV channel, the PDP president said her party MLAs were being "coerced and threatened" to leave the party with NIA raids.

Avoiding a direct reference to the BJP, she accused it of horse-trading, saying several PDP MLAs had told her in person that "tremendous pressure" was being applied on them in order to wean them away from their party.

"I am not saying that New Delhi is doing it but I did talk to some people in New Delhi and told them that a perception is being created through media reports that MLAs can be bought with money or be motivated to leave the PDP for important cabinet portfolios, and if they're rejecting even this, they're being threatened with NIA raids," Mehbooba Mufti told the channel.

The BJP spokesman said Mufti's claims that her party's members are receiving threats from the NIA are "false" as she is not able to set her house in order.

"The statement is nothing but a falsehood as the fact remains that she is not able to set her house in order as there is a mass rebellion in the PDP..," he said