Mehbooba Seeks Confidence Building Measures From PM
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir could be heading for a longer spell of Governor’s rule. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday, in her first public statement after the death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, said there can be no forward movement on forming a new government in the State unless the Centre takes state-specific Confidence Building Measures (CBMs).
The BJP, on the other hand, said it would make its move only after the PDP elects its legislature party leader.
“The Centre should initiate some J&K-specific CBMs before formation of new government. It’s not about the BJP and PDP. The CBMs need to be taken by the Centre to give a fillip to the new government,” Mehbooba told reporters outside the Raj Bhavan after her meeting with Governor N N Vohra.
The Governor had invited her and State BJP leaders for talks to know their respective stands on government formation. The State is currently under Governor’s rule, which was imposed on January 8, a day after Mufti Sayeed’s death. “J&K is a different State, where we have many difficulties that are not confronted by other States. We have to fight many forces and to handle the situation and deal with such forces, it is essential for the Central government to stand behind us,” said 56-year-old Mehbooba, who is tipped to take over as CM but has so far refused to take oath.
She said if a government is to be formed, the Centre will have to take tangible measures to address the causes of alienation, trust and development deficit in Jammu and Kashmir and work towards finding a long-lasting solution to the problem plaguing the State for the past six decades.
A BJP delegation, led by State party president Sat Sharma, former Dy CM Nirmal Singh and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma also met the Governor. “We have sought 8-10 days from the Governor for forming the government,” Nirmal Singh told reporters after the meeting. He said the PDP has not projected any demand to the party regarding confidence building measures. “We favour continuation of alliance with the PDP and running of the government as per the Agenda of Alliance framed by the parties last year,” he said.
Singh said there is a constitutional issue as the PDP has not elected its legislature party leader yet. “Modi and Mufti had a vision regarding the State and we are committed to carry forward that vision. However, only after PDP elects its new leader and informs the Governor about it, only then we will take any step,” he added.