After making it clear that Bharatiya Janata Party stands for scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party has got another jolt as the Union Power Minister, R.K Singh has categorically stated that New Delhi won’t return power projects to the state.
“In Uttar Pradesh, we have the projects run by the National Thermal Power Corporation. I can’t transfer these projects to Uttar Pradesh because they are not for one state, but all states. Similarly the National Hydel Power Corporation projects set up with the Government of India’s money here don’t give power to the state (J&K) only, but every state gets a share of energy from these projects,” Singh said here.
An analyst while talking to Precious Kashmir said, “R K Singh’s clear no to return of power projects has put the PDP in a tight spot. Since the day PDP has come into power it has been stating that it would ensure that Centre returns at least one power project to the state.”
He said, “When PDP drafted the power sharing agreement with the BJP both the parties had agreed upon to explore possibilities for transfer of 390-MW Dulhasti and 4890-MW Uri-I hydropower projects from the NHPC to J&K, secure a share in profits of the NHPC from its projects in the state and revise all royalty agreements between the state and the NHPC.”
He said, “Refusal of the union Power Minister has punctured the PDP’s claim that negotiations are on with the Centre to get the power projects back. It’s not for the first time that Agenda of Alliance (AoA) which PDP used to swear upon has been violated by the saffron party. It has been happening again and again.”
A Kashmir watcher said that BJP leaders and ministers have made it clear that their party stands for scrapping of Article 370, which provides special status to Jammu and Kashmir. “The fate of Article 35A hangs in balance as the Apex court is going to hear the writ petition challenging its legal status after Diwali,” he added.
He said, “PDP should stop boasting about AoA as it has been torn apart. It needs to acknowledge that it entered into an alliance with BJP just to share power in the state and form the government. Their big talks and promises stand exposed. The PDP has not even achieved much on the developmental front.”
A politician said, “It’s high time for PDP to introspect and see how much it has gained and how much it has lost by entering into an alliance with BJP. If Article 35A is revoked it would be a big disaster for PDP and it
would end up losing its constituency in Kashmir.”
He said, “As the 2019 parliamentary polls are approaching BJP is leaving no stone unturned to corner the PDP and if it keeps on going on at same pace then future of the PDP-BJP coalition in J&K looks bleak.”
