PDP, BJP say coalition will continue

Sonia’s meeting with Mehbooba is seen as politically significant as the BJP, an ally of PDP, has yet not officially extended support to Mehbooba for the chief ministership after her father’s demise.

He said no conditions had been laid either by the PDP or the BJP for the government formation in the state as all the issues had been thrashed out in “Agenda of Alliance” past year.

Meanwhile, the BJP maintains that it has set no preconditions on the PDP.

“We will take a call on government formation once we receive a formal communication from the Peoples Democratic Party”. “I met her two days ago and she was in a deep mourning mood. She will visit Gupkar Road residence of the late chief minister in the afternoon to offer condolences to Mehbooba Mufti”, a Congress party functionary said. Gadkari said he had come to offer condolences on behalf of the central government and bereavement was not the time to discuss politics.

“There is talk going about Drabu, however, we are not sure whether he will face any action”, a senior party leader told this correspondent. The mourning period ended on Sunday.

Political analyst Prof. Gull Wani opines that before assuming power, Mehbooba will definitely make BJP change its strategy towards Kashmir, as she can’t afford any insensitive remarks to hamper her party in Kashmir, where she enjoys mass support.

Senior PDP leader and MP Tariq Hameed Karra Tuesday suggested party president Mehbooba Mufti to form the next government with Congress and other secular forces to stop communal forces from spreading in Kashmir. This is legally the last ditch effort by Vohra to avoid imposition of a short spell of governor’s rule in the state. “But at the same time Mehbooba is keen to reset the terms of alliance with the BJP”, they said.

With the conclusion of Sunday’s congregational prayers, the four-day mourning period for the Mufti family ends in the evening. By now, the bereaved daughter of the state’s patriarch should have made history by being sworn in as the first woman Chief Minister of the state. “And not only has it damaged Kashmir, but also PDP”, the PDP MP said.

Late chief minister Sayeed, following whose death the state has been brought under governor’s rule, had a “grand vision” for the J&K’s development which resulted in the alliance between the two parties, Madhav told reporters. Improving relations between Jammu and the Kashmir Valley was an aim of the PDP-BJP alliance. BJP has 25 MLAs in the 87-member Assembly while Congress has 12 and National Conference has 15. “What the RSS could not achieve in the last six decades, it has achieved in the last six months”.