SRINAGAR: A week after the J&K Assembly elections, the BJP and PDP have still not come to a consensus on government formation in J&K, with Mufti Mohammad Sayeed refusing to compromise on the CM’s seat.
BJP vice-president Ram Madhav and state party president Jugal Kishore met Governor N N Vohra on Tuesday and briefed him about the party’s efforts to strike a balance with the PDP. “Madhav and Kishore told the Governor that since the parties had varied ideologies, commitments and issues, it would take further time to cobble up a coalition,” a BJP leader said.
He said party leaders would meet the Governor again on January 1 to submit a proposal on government formation. Mufti will meet Vohra on Wednesday to discuss the PDP’s plans. A senior BJP leader said the parleys between the PDP and BJP were going on at different levels.
“There, however, has been no forward movement as both parties are resorting to bargaining to gain maximum leverage before coming up with a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for running the coalition government,” he said.
Sources said Mufi stuck to his guns on key issues, including Article 370, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), resumption of dialogue with Pakistan, self rule advocating dual currency and softening of borders.
The PDP has made it clear that it will not part with the CM’s post.
“The party wants the CM’s post for six-years’ tenure and does not want rotational Chief Ministership. The party has categorically said there can be no compromise on the post,” a PDP worker said.
Sources said the BJP was trying to woo Mufti on a development plank.
The election results in J&K threw up a hung Assembly with the PDP emerging as the single-largest party with 28 seats and the BJP a close second with 25 seats.
The NC and Congress won 15 and 12 seats respectively, while the smaller parties and independent candidates won seven seats.
PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar told Express Mufti was holding talks with party leaders, newly elected legislators and civil society members for the third successive day on Tuesday on forming government with the BJP.
The NC has also offered unconditional support to the PDP in government formation.