A prominent BJP leader has asked members of his Pahari community to vote for People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti in the Anantnag Rajouri parliamentary seat, prompting former chief minister Omar Abdullah to claim that it proves the PDP-BJP alliance remains intact.

Syed Mushtaq Bukhari, a Pahari leader from the BJP in the Pir Panjal region of Jammu which is part of the Anantnag seat, said it was better to vote for Mehbooba as she had worked for the community in the past.

The BJP has not fielded any candidate from the seat and is believed to be supporting Apni Party candidate Zaffar Iqbal Manhas.

Bukhari, a former National Conference minister, joined the BJP after his community was given Scheduled Caste status.

If Paharis — who are one-fourth of the population in the constituency — vote for Mehbooba, it is likely to consolidate her position.

The BJP has not responded to Bukhari’s call but Omar claims the PDP and the BJP remain allies. Mehbooba and her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed headed the PDP-BJP government from 2015 to 2018 until the BJP withdrew its support.

“Our PDP candidate is targeting the National Conference everywhere. I was wondering if our real rival, which brought destruction to Jammu and Kashmir, was the BJP, why Mehboobaji was not targeting the BJP much,” Omar said.

“I got the answer yesterday (Monday). I was not surprised much because I knew what was cooking inside. I did not know it would come out openly one day. I am thankful to a man named Mushtaq Bukhari who said the BJP is supporting the PDP.”