Govt formation in Kashmir: formal talks with PDP Sunday, says BJP
With the deadlock continuing over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Bharatiya Janata Party Friday said that the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for the government formation with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not been finalized yet. The right wing party said that the official talks for finalizing the CMP will start from Sunday.
Meanwhile the Peoples Democratic Party said that though the informal talks with BJP are on, but the party will constitute a committee that would hold formal parleys with the BJP which won 25 seats in the 87-member Assembly.
BJP’s State General secretary (organizations), Ashok Koul said, “Though some initiatives about the government formation were taken between the two parties and the common minimum program was framed but due to the Delhi elections it was delayed. Now the party has decided that it will sit with the PDP leaders from February 8 for formal talks to finalize CMP.”
He further said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will have a new government soon. “The BJP wants government in Jammu and Kashmir and I can tell you that the new government will be formed within couple of days,” he claimed.
He, however, didn’t said that who will hold formal dialogue over framing a Common Minimum Program with the PDP.
Meanwhile a top BJP leader in New Delhi said that the BJP high command has constituted a committee that would hold formal parleys with the PDP from February 8. “State party leaders in the recent meeting with party Chief Amit Shah discussed the issue and after which a committee of top BJP leaders was constituted to hold talks with PDP to finalize the common minimum program,” sources said and added that the committee includes Dr Nirmal Singh and Jugal Kishore.
However, sources added that BJP’s chief is authorized to deal with the issue of government formation.
Sources said that that BJP’s common minimum program will be based on development of the state, jobs to unemployed youth and exploring the sectors like power and tourism to ensure job opportunities.
Chief Spokesperson Nayeem Akhtar said that informal talks with the BJP are on. “The informal talks are on with BJP leadership over the government formation. But to start formal talks, the party will constitute a committee which will talk to the BJP leadership over the Common Minimum Programme for government formation,” he said and added that the committee will put forward the core issues of the party like AFSPA, resumption of talks for peace in Jammu and Kashmir, handing over of NHPC projects and other issues.
It is to mention here that BJP president Amit Shah Thursday had said that his party and PDP are in an advanced stage of finalizing Common Minimum Programme ahead of forming a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The process for making a Common Minimum Programme is on. It has reached a very advanced stage. It is only after the finalization of the CMP that issues like who will be the Chief Minister and from which party, will be discussed. All this will be discussed only then,” Shah had said.
