Congress rules out coalition with PDP
New Delhi, June 19: The Congress on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of a coalition with the Peoples Democratic Alliance (PDP), making Governor's rule look imminent in Jammu and Kashmir after the BJP pulled out of the PDP-led coalition government.
Reacting to the development, senior Congress leader and former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said the question of an alliance with the PDP "does not arise".
"Whatever has happened is good. People of Jammu and Kashmir will get some relief. They (BJP) ruined Kashmir and have now pulled out," Azad said.
He stressed that the question of Congress forming an alliance with PDP "does not arise".
Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala pointed out that in the last four years, 373 security personnel and 239 civilians have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir due to heightened militancy.
What did the nation get out of this?" Surjewala said in a tweet.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal pointed out that the Modi government had claimed that demonetisation in 2016 had broken the back of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir but that did not seem true.
"Didn't BJP tell us that demonetisation had broken the back of terrorism in Kashmir? Then what happened?" he asked.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
