Raja Syed Rather

Jammu : Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday reiterated that the National Conference will never align with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), even if it means leaving the government.

Speaking to reporters in Jammu, Choudhary, per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that NC’s recent electoral performance reflects the party’s commitment to principles rather than power or monetary greed.

“We can leave the government, but we cannot align with the BJP. The National Conference had to win four seats, but we lost one because some traitors betrayed our trust. We fought this election on principles and refused to buy or sell votes,” he said.

Choudhary accused the BJP of engaging in “vote theft,” claiming the party’s unethical practices were evident in the polls. “It was proven this time that BJP is a vote thief. They broke votes. If they had 28 votes, where did the rest come from? This question remains unanswered,” he remarked.

He added that the NC stood by its moral high ground despite political pressures. “We didn’t offer money or greed. We fought for the voice of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Three seats we have won belong to the people, and our representatives will take their voice to Delhi,” he said.

Choudhary also acknowledged the contribution and representation of the Sikh community, saying the National Conference has always given them due space in leadership roles. “The Sikh community has always been part of our leadership and institutions. We gave representation to leaders like Sardar Harbhan Singh, Talwinder Singh Wazir, and now Shami Oberoi,” he noted.

Clarifying speculation about NC’s political alliances, Choudhary said, “If there was an alliance, we wouldn’t have fielded our candidate in Nagrota. We supported Congress, but when they didn’t contest, we had to field our candidate at the last moment. Still, our fight continues.”

He emphasised that the party will contest the upcoming Nagrota election with full strength. “We will fight hard. We can leave the government, but not our principles. We will never join hands with BJP,” he reaffirmed—(KNO)