Mehbooba likely to form govt with BJP after Feb 3

Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti is likely to form the much-awaited coalition government with the BJP after February 3 if all goes according to her plan.
By the evening of February 3, she would have consulted her party men in both the major regions of the Kashmir valley and Jammu province. Sources privy to her next course said although Mehbooba had kept her choice open-ended, a larger section of the legislators, particularly former ministers, were of the view that she should form the government without further delay as people of the state were yearning for a government headed by her.
The state is under Governor’s rule as she had refused on January 7 and January 8 to take the oath of office of Chief Minister as she was in a state of shock over the death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who had breathed his last at AIIMS in New Delhi after a fortnight-long treatment there.
The sources also revealed that she was keen to carry forward the agenda of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for the development and honour of the people of the state. Her father had founded the North Pole-South Pole alliance of the right-wing BJP and Kashmir-centric PDP. Since Mufti Sayeed had ventured into this never-before political terrain, she was determined to embark on the journey started by her father with all the political risks involved.
In the meantime, she has been assured of support for the fulfilment of the Agenda of the Alliance by the BJP. Some exercise has begun and the threads will be picked up in the next couple of days wherein all outstanding issues following Mufti Sayeed’s death would be addressed. A deadline may be set for fulfilling the promises. The party meeting of Kashmir province leaders on January 31 and that of Jammu region on February 3 is being read in this context. Mehbooba wants to take her party on board on her decisions. The next couple of days are very crucial in the process of government formation, said the sources.
Meanwhile, opposition parties National Conference and Congress are keenly watching the developments. The BJP has assured the PDP chief of its full support once she stakes claim to form the government.