Srinagar: The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday turned down the National Conference’s support for government formation accusing the later and its working president Omar Abdullah of creating pressure tactics and playing mind games.

The NC replied back saying its offer to its arch rival in Jammu and Kashmir is for outside support and not to join the new government.

PDP’s chief spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar, alleged, “NC is power hungry party. It wants to come to power through the back door. The people have voted for change and against NC. I can tell you that Governor’s rule is better than the alliance of the PDP and the NC.”

Terming Mr. Akhtar's remarks as “misinformed” and “unfounded”, NC general secretary, Ali Muhammad Sagar, said that unlike the PDP, they have put their ideology and the State’s special status above the petty trappings of power by not aligning with the BJP.

“If we were interested in being part of a government in J&K, we could have aligned with the BJP as it was an option readily available. But unlike the PDP, we are guided by guiding principles and a political ideology that is rooted in the aspirations and sentiments of our people,” Mr. Sagar said.

He rubbished the PDP’s ‘deluded’ claim that the NC had been punished or sidelined by the people. “A party that only got 60,000 more votes than us collectively in the State can hardly make that claim with a straight face,” he added.