No truth in Karra's claims about being offered J&K CM's post: Nirmal Singh

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh on Wednesday said there is "no truth" in former PDP MP Tariq Hamid Karra's claims that he was offered the Chief Minister's post by the BJP and the statement was made to create "confusion" in the coalition government.

"There is no truth in it (his remarks claiming that BJP had offered him Chief Minister's post thrice)," he told reporters in Jammu.

Singh was replying to a volley of questions about the remarks of Karra, who had resigned from PDP and the Lok Sabha over the government's handling of the recent unrest in Kashmir Valley, that he was offered the CM's chair by BJP for ensuring that PDP-BJP government in J&K continued uninterrupted.

"He is resorting to such statements after leaving the party. There is nothing of such nature," the Deputy Chief Minister said, adding this is being done to create "confusion" in the coalition government.

Replying to another question about advancing the Budget Session to January 2, he said this has been done to facilitate better spending of expenditure and increasing the working season in this northern state.

Asked whether the Budget Session would be stormy in view of Winter Session of Parliament getting washed away due to Opposition's protest, he said, "We are ready to face Opposition in the House with our report card and the issues that were raised during the previous sessions have been addressed".

"The Opposition had also made an attempt to make issues out of non-issues during the previous sessions and to polarise the situation and create regional rifts. We hope that Opposition will not create such situation this time," he said.

"We hope that the session passes off peacefully and people's issues are raised as there is short working season here. We are opened to criticism and suggestions. Mainstream should not talk like separatists and if they do it on the floor of the House it would be unfortunate. There should be no such issues in the Assembly," he said.

"We will accept if we have faulted but criticism should be positive and aimed to help the people," Singh said.

On the Supreme Court's judgement on Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI Act), he said the judgment is within the constitution of India and Jammu and Kashmir and the state government has already given its point of view on it through its spokesman earlier.