J&K: PDP to hold high-level meetings over govt formation with BJP

PDP insiders say that party president; Mehbooba Mufti is already negotiating over some issues that are close to PDP’s political agenda with BJP general secretary, Ram Madhav. However, so far, BJP Central leadership has not committed any concessions to the PDP president.

Sources in the PDP say that PDP president want some concessions over some doable issues that have been drafted in the agenda of alliance.

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On Sunday, PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti has invited all the PDP legislators, provincial presidents, district presidents and zonal presidents of Kashmir province for the meeting that will be held at Fairview residence of Mufti’s. “All the legislators and senior party leaders from all parts of the Valley have been asked to attend the meeting. This will be the first joint formal meeting of PDP law makers and the PDP office bearers with the party president,’’ a senior PDP legislator told The Indian Express.

Next Wednesday, Mehbooba Mufti will be meeting legislators and office bearers from the Jammu province. PDP sources told The Indian Express only after these two meetings government formation could be initiated.

He said that only after these two meetings the PDP president will be in a position to take a final call over the formation of the government. “This is a crucial meeting of PDP after the death of former chief minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.’’

Mehbooba Mufti, however is already in touch with BJP top leadership especially Ram Madhav. Sources said that Mehbooba had conveyed to the BJP leadership that BJP is still not clear about the time frame of some important points that are part of the agenda of alliance between BJP and PDP that was drafted before PDP and BJP entered into an alliance.

Mehbooba Mufti is also perturbed over the raising of some controversial issues by the BJP leaders, especially state flag issue, article 370 section 35 A and beef by the patronage of some top BJP leaders. PDP leaders told The Indian Express that Mehbooba Mufti wants an assurance from the top BJP leadership before taking oath as the chief minister.

Though majority of PDP law makers want Mehbooba to take oath as chief minister, however, Parliament member from Srinagar, Tariq Hamid Karra who is also the founding member of the PDP in a recently held one to one meeting with PDP president told her that PDP should not form government with the BJP and asked her to explore other options. Karra is the only PDP leader who is opposing the alliance with BJP.