Mufti Confirms Government Formation in J and K with BJP

SRI NAGAR: Ending all speculation about government formation in the state, PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Saturday confirmed that his party was engaged in talks with the BJP and the two parties will form the next government on the basis of a Common Minimum Programme (CMP).  “The PDP was in informal talks with the BJP on government formation in the state. Depending on the areas of convergence, a coalition would be formed on the basis of CMP,” he said while addressing the PDP MLAs who had met in Jammu to elect the party president.

Mehbooba Mufti was on Saturday re-elected as party president unopposed. It will be her fifth term as party president.

“We are in Track Two negotiations with the BJP. We may differ in our vision and priorities, but an attempt is being made to find a common ground so as to evolve consensus on all issues to carry forward the peace process and political and economic agenda”, Mufti said.

It is the first statement by Mufti since the PDP and the BJP engaged in back channel talks on government formation after declaration of results on December 23. 

Referring to media reports that he was pressing the BJP to make him the CM for a full term of six years, Mufti said, “Assuming power was never my priority. Our alliance will be based on principles and policies. I assure people that I will never sell my mandate and won’t compromise on the basic issues on which the people have reposed trust in the PDP”.

He said after some consensus evolves during the informal talks, the party will depute its senior party leaders for holding a structured dialogue with the BJP. “We will have to agree on basic issues and move forward for transforming J&K into a politically stable and economically developed state for which peace is a pre-requisite,” he said.