JAMMU: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Monday she had suffered by joining hands with the BJP under the current Narendra Modi government and referred, in comparison, to the tenure of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led central government as "golden times" even though her party, the PDP, was then in alliance with the Congress in the state. Earlier, on July 28, in her first public speech in Srinagar after the break-up of the PDP-BJP alliance, Mehbooba had said her decision to ally with the BJP was akin to "drinking poison".Addressing party workers and supporters at Peoples Democratic Party's 19th foundation day celebrations, Mehbooba spoke about the struggles and difficulties she had to encounter as CM while leading a coalition government with the BJP in J&K.Recalling the past when, Mehbooba said, the state had prospered under the patronage of the Vajpayee-led central government despite the fact that the PDP-Congress were in alliance in the state, she added, "Mufti sahib (Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, her father) agreed to join hands with the BJP again (in 2015) because we had a good understanding during Vajpayeeji's regime.""But this time, it was a difficult decision," she said, adding, "Forming an alliance with the BJP was like drinking poison. I suffered during the two years and two months of the alliance.""Mufti sahib and his time in government was a golden time for the state. The state developed and prospered during that time. Militant activities were in control and there was peace in the state, the ceasefire was observed on the border while roads, colleges and universities were constructed," she said, adding, "The moment the alliance ended and the government changed, all the work for peace came undone."

Stay updated with all the Latest Srinagar headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.