SRINAGAR: As PDP and BJP, which emerged as two leading parties in 87-member J&K assembly, are involved in talks and trying to come on a common ground for forming the coalition government in the State, the saffron party has asked Mufti Sayeed’s party to show flexibility and give up rigid stand on some issues.
The PDP president Mehbooba Mufti will meet Governor on December 31 and State BJP president Jugal Kishore is also likely to meet him on the same day.
“Whatever decision is taken on government formation in J&K by the party, it would be in the interests of the State and country,” BJP MP and incharge J&K Affairs Avinash Khanna told Express.
He said Jammu and Kashmir needs development and it would be party’s first and top most preference.
“Rest of the issues (including Article 370 and other sensitive issues), we can go on,” he said adding for framing a CMP both BJP and PDP will have to show some kind of flexibility and adopt “give and take” policy.
Political observers said differences between ideologies of two parties – PDP and BJP – is so much that it will take some more time and deliberations to bridge the gap and come to a common ground.
“PDP is not budging on some issues and we are requesting them to be liberal with these issues. For forming a coalition government, a party has to rise above regionalism and look at the broader picture,” J&K BJP vice president and Kashmir incharge Ramesh Arora told Express.
He said the saffron party is showing less rigidity on all issues including CM’s post but PDP has adopted rigid stand on some issues.
Sources said PDP is pressing for preserving Article 370, lifting of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFPSA) from peaceful areas of State, special package for flood-hit people and resumption of dialogue between India-Pakistan during talks with BJP.
“Government formation won’t be possible through rigid attitude. It is possible only when liberal attitude is adopted by the parties for the sake of larger interests,” Arora said.
PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in order to gauge the mood of his leaders and newly elected legislators on alliance with BJP has started process of intra-party consultations.
“He (Mufti) held talks with leaders and newly elected members for second day in succession today. The scope of deliberations was widened today and civil society members and intellectuals also participated in the deliberations,” PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar told Express.
Asked whether any consensus has been reached on aligning with BJP, he said, “No consensus has been reached yet and all options are open to the party”.
According to party sources, Mufti has asked his party’s legislators to go back to their constituencies and talk to people there and seek their views on forming government with BJP.
Akhtar said PDP president Mehbooba Mufti will be meeting State Governor N N Vohra in Rajbhavan, Jammu on Wednesday to hold discussion on government formation in the State, where people’s verdict have thrown hung Assembly and none of the parties has got majority.
Vohra had last week invited Mehbooba and State BJP president Jugal Kishore for discussion on government formation.
Sources in BJP said Jugal Kishore is also expected to meeting Governor on Wednesday afternoon.
“BJP vice president and general secretary Ram Madhav is in Jammu and he will be holding interaction with party leaders tomorrow to finalise team and agenda for talks with Governor,” Arora said.
There were speculations that Ram Madhav may hold talks with Mehbooba Mufti, who is leaving for Jammu tomorrow.
However, Akhter said no such meeting is going to take place.
“The government formation in the State will take time as it is a complex issue,” he said adding party does not want to dilute its ideology.