Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik says the Modi government wanted him to instal Sajad Lone as the state's chief minister, right before he dissolved the assembly last week.

If he had listened to "Delhi", Malik said at an event on November 24 in Gwalior, "I would have had to instal Sajad Lone as CM, and I would have become dishonest forever."

Today, while speaking to India Today TV, Malik said there was no political pressure or interference from the Centre, and that he was "completely apolitical".

J&K Governor SP #Malik : If i had heard of Delhi (Central Govt) then I would have had to install Sajad Lone as CM and I would have become dishonest for ever’... pic.twitter.com/Ncfs1oQYfm Supriya Bhardwaj (@Supriya23bh) November 27, 2018

Both Lone -- the leader of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference -- and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tried to stake competing claims to form a new government last week.

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In his interview with India Today TV, Satya Pal Malik said Lone was the first person to stake a claim to form a new government. Mufti's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (which was part of the other prospective alliance) weren't serious about forming a government, and wanted to see the state assembly dissolved, Malik said.

Since the BJP walked out of an alliance with Mufti's PDP, Jammu and Kashmir has been under Governor's rule.

Kavinder Gupta of the BJP, the former deputy chief minister, said there was no pressure on Satya Pal Malik.

The Governor was giving statements to remain in the news, Gupta said.

Inputs from Shuja-ul-Haq

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