Srinagar: People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone has claimed that the National Conference and the BJP have been in talks with each other for at least a year, although they have hidden this from everyone else.

In an interview to a New Delhi based multi-media organisation The Wire, Sajad Lone also went on to dispute comments made by Satya Pal Malik about the Prime Minister’s lack of knowledge on Kashmir.

Lone said that Farooq Abdullah and the National Conference are the problem and can never be a solution in Kashmir.

He claimed that the National Conference and the BJP have been in talks with each other for at least a year, although they have hidden this from everyone else.

He also refuted former Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik’s statement that the Prime Minister is “ill-informed” about Kashmir and stated that PM Modi was well informed.

Lone also denied that either he or his party would never ally with the BJP in the future and he had agreed to be part of the PDP-BJP governments between 2015 and 2018 because of what he called his “majboori” and that, he said, no longer applies.

He also spoke with passion and anger about Farooq Abdullah and his alleged role in rigging the 1987 election which, he repeatedly said, was the starting point of disaffection and militancy in Kashmir.

Lone repeatedly said the political problems of Kashmir do not date back to 1984, when Farooq Abdullah was dismissed by Governor Jagmohan.

“At the time, no doubt, Kashmiris were upset and annoyed but this was forgotten and resolved when Farooq Abdullah was restored to chief ministership prior to the 1987 elections. It was what happened in 1987 is the cause of the militancy and that is the main reason why I believes Farooq Abdullah cannot be the solution to the present problems of the union territory.”

On Satya Pal Malik’s remarks about PM Modi, he cited several examples where PM Modi was well aware not just of the details of the situation but also the names of officers down to SSPs.

Lone also said the Prime Minister has a parallel source of information. “Before Malik dissolved the assembly in Srinagar, he rang him from London pleading that he should not do so on the grounds that once dissolved it will not be recreated for at least 10 years.”

He also admitted that he did not have the numbers to form a government but he was pleading that the assembly must not be dissolved because he knew it would not be recreated soon.

Lone also spoke about elections, which he believes must be held immediately. “Restoration of statehood must happen immediately. Whenever elections are held we will fight on our own and will not ally with any party.”

On talks between NC and BJP, he claimed the proof of this fact is that Omar Abdullah joined Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar, but none of the National Conference party leaders issued any statement in support of Rahul Gandhi when he was disqualified as an MP.

He also claimed Farooq Abdullah attended a meeting called by the government which all other opposition parties did not attend.

Lone also said that the BJP-NC will form the next government in J&K in an alliance as they will fight as opponents and during the campaign accuse other smaller parties (like his) of being BJP allies but then willingly form an alliance thereafter.