SRINAGAR: If everything goes as per plan, the PDPBJP Government is expected to be in place in Jammu and Kashmir before February 23, as the two parties have made considerable headway in talks on government formation in the state.
“Good progress has been made on government formation talks with the BJP,” PDP chief spokesperson Naeem Akhtar told Express. He said the areas of divergence between the two parties have narrowed down.
The PDP and the BJP, which had emerged as the largest parties in 87-member J&K Assembly with 28 and 25 seats respectively, have been trying to reach common ground on contentious issues like Article 370, lifting of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), settlement of West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) and resumption of talks with Pakistan and separatists.
A senior PDP leader, who was upbeat on Prime Minister Narendra Modi talking to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif,besides the decision to dispatch the
Foreign Secretary to Islamabad for talks with the Pakistani establishment, said the structured dialogue with the BJP will begin in Delhi in the next few days.
“The two parties have made progress on the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) and leaders of two parties during structured dialogue will need few days of negotiations to finalise it,” the PDP leader said.
“We are hopeful that it will be in place before February 23,” the PDP leader said. The PDP leader also said that after finalisation of the CMP, party patron Mufti
Mohammad Sayeed is expected to visit New Delhi for a meeting with the Prime Minister. “Mufti would also invite the PM for oath-taking ceremony,” he said.