Following the death of chief minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, uncertainty has been prevailing over government formation with speculations about PDP exploring alternate options to its alliance with BJP.
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The BJP Sunday extended an olive branch to the People’s Democratic Party for forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir after the death of PDP patron and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed last week. “She will visit Gupkar Road residence of the late chief minister in the afternoon”, a Congress party functionary said. Congress leaders Ambika Soni and Ghulam Nabi Azad were also present in the meeting, which lasted for around 20 minutes. If there had been dissension both within the PDP as well as among the party’s backers at the decision taken past year, the behaviour of the Centre and the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) State units in this period has only validated the doubts they had. “Dad is in the party meeting this time”, the caller from the other end said, identifying himself as Sat Sharma’s son.
BJP sources said they would get a “sense” of the PDP’s intent by tomorrow once its internal confabulations get going. The state is now under Governor’s Rule. The BJP leadership, however, didn’t seem to have a strong view on the PDP’s choice of CM provided the current arrangement-deputy chief minister’s post for the BJP and governance on the basis of a common agenda of alliance-was accepted by the PDP.
On Friday, Vohra had asked both PDP and BJP to convey their stand on the government formation.
However, sources said, the PDP is also not in a position to walk away from the alliance with the BIP as they will have to overturn one of the biggest decisions made by party patriarch Mufti previous year. CM Nirmal Singh has, meanwhile, expressed confidence that BJP’s alliance with PDP will continue in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, BJP has brushed aside the speculations as “public perceptions” with little bearing on government formation. Mehbooba still has a significant part of her political future waiting up ahead in the distance. The state mourning ends on Wednesday.
She is as unlikely to ally with the Congress – notwithstanding her personal rapport with Sonia Gandhi – because such a partnership would leave virtually no representation from Jammu in the state government, and no political leader can afford to widen the emotional gap between Jammu and the Kashmir Valley.
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The third time Governor’s Rule was imposed in January 1990 when Farooq Abdullah resigned as the Chief Minister over the appointment of Jagmohan Malhotra as the state Governor following eruption of militancy in the state.
