J&K deadlock: RSS to decide if BJP should agree to PDP demands

The J&K leaders who were called by them to Delhi for discussions included BJP state president Jugal Sharma, its national executive committee member Nirmal Singh, an MLA from Billawar, party general secretary (organisation) Ashok Koul, and RSS pracharak Ramesh Pappa.

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Bhayyaji and other RSS functionaries also held separate one-to-one meetings with them during the day, sources said, adding they would also discuss the matter with BJP president Amit Shah and party incharge for J&K Avinash Rai Khanna.

Sources said there were divergent views on conceding PDP’s demands on Article 370 and AFSPA. “Kushti chal rahi hai (fight is going on),” said a leader who attended the meeting when asked talks with PDP.

Senior party leaders when contacted on phone from Jammu admitted having met RSS functionaries, but said that it had nothing to do with government formation in the state. “There are organisational matters also which are to be discussed and moreover 2015 is an election year for RSS,’’ one of them said.

Sources, however, said that RSS intervention after BJP’s rout during Assembly polls in Delhi, followed by its embarrassment in view of the decision to support Jitan Ram Manjhi government in Bihar.

It does not want to see a similar situation arise again, and so RSS first sought to ascertain views of all its key functionaries in the state before giving its go ahead for government formation.

Following RSS direct intervention into the matter, many within the state BJP have kept their fingers crossed over the issue of government formation, especially in view of pre-conditions laid by PDP leaders. “Do you think that it will be formed especially when PDP leaders agree on all issues in Delhi only to disagree in the Valley?,’’ asked a senior party leader who wished not to be named.