PDP chief calls party legislators meet today

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti along with party senior Vice-President, Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister, Haseeb Drabu (R) during a party meeting at Mufti residence in Srinagar.

Sharma said that a group of State leaders is also in New Delhi to discuss the political situation with the party’s central leadership.

“We shall be discussing party affairs, strengthening the party at the grassroots level and other related issues without taking up the issue of staking claim to power”, said a party source.

Former deputy chief minister and BJP leader Nirmal Singh called on the Peoples Democratic Party president at the state circuit house in Jammu in the afternoon.

The PDP chief said the “purpose of that (alliance) was not limited to government formation, but it was to take Jammu and Kashmir out of the trouble that it has faced for most part of its history”. Top BJP leaders in J&K will meet on 1 February and travel to Delhi to hold discussions with the the central leadership. He had headed an alliance of his PDP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “There were problems during the 10 months he was in power because of inherent contractions between the PDP and the BJP”, Mehbooba said.

“In the past ten months, the development which has taken place was not seen in the past 60 years”.

Nevertheless, E & T BJP chief Mr. Sharma stated that it has not been delivered any pre-conditions for government development by the PDP. Mr Akhtar said: “We’ve not asked for anything new”.

Asked if BJP was ready for fresh polls, he said “it would be premature to speak about the issue”. But he ruled out any further assurances on the alliance agenda. “All we would like is; devoted and truthful execution of “Agenda of the Alliance”.

“Respecting people’s mandate, our party had done an alliance with the BJP in the larger interest of the state”. Party leaders said the matter was not even discussed. To a question, she said there are “no differences” with BJP but such measures should be taken by the Centre which will ensure that Sayeed’s absence is not felt.

However, BJP’s staunch silence on the matter indicated that the state can be under the Governor’s Rule for a longer period of time.

Sources in the PDP told IANS that Mehbooba Mufti is expected to convey to the BJP leader her strong reservations about heading the PDP-BJP alliance government in the state. He also said his party was not only committed to implementing the “Agenda of the Alliance”, but “it can also think and work beyond it”. Meanwhile, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah today said if PDP is not ready to form the government, fresh elections should be held. “This is what should be done in a democracy”, he said.