Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday afternoon air-dashed to New Delhi, rekindling hopes for the renewal of PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu & Kashmir to form the next coalition Government.
In Mumbai, in a television programme, Off the Cuff, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the Central Government stands by its package to J&K announced by the Prime Minister “in toto”.
“If we stick to agenda for governance in J&K, there should be no problem. Mehbooba Mufti has to make up her mind,” Jaitley said.
Interestingly, Mufti left for Delhi a day after Jaitley had thrown notions that the BJP was eager to continue working on the agenda of alliance, a roadmap set by PDP founder Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and Prime Minister Modi.
Mufti is expected to meet the Prime Minister during her stay in Delhi but only after receiving the nod from the top brass of the BJP. Jaitley appeared to be praising late Mufti and counselling his daughter to shun stubbornness. “Mufti Sahib had evolved into a statesman; he was moderate in his tone. We lost him when State needed him the most”, he said.
A group of PDP leaders — including former Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu and young PDP leader Waheed Parra — have also reached New Delhi to work in the backchannel before the possible meeting between Modi and Mufti.
However, there was no indication from the PDP camp that they have received any formal invitation from the PMO for the meeting that is likely to clear the air on the Government formation in the embattled State.
Mehbooba’s departure to New Delhi assumes significance in the wake of her failed attempt last week when she met with BJP president Amit Shah but no deal was clinched on Government formation.
Mehbooba had earlier went back empty handed last week after BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav had made it clear that the BJP was not ready to accept new demands listed by the PDP chief during her crucial meeting with the BJP chief Amit Shah.
The alliance partners had almost come on the verge of splitting but while the PDP chief chose to stay mum after reaching Srinagar and went in to self-imposed hibernation for two days, the BJP leaders dropped tacit hints during their two-day long National Executive to go-ahead for another round of parleys to renegotiate the terms and conditions of the alliance.
Meanwhile, National Conference Working president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday called on Governor NN Vohra in Jammu to discuss the current political situation in the State in the wake of undue delay over Government formation.
Emerging out of the meeting Omar favoured mid-term polls in the State to end the cycle of political uncertainty amid continuous flip-flop by the PDP chief.
“If as party president she is so indecisive how can she take tough decisions sitting on the hot seat. It is high time the PDP chief should decide and say either Yes or No to the question of Government formation in alliance with the BJP,” Omar responded while answering media queries. Omar also cautioned New Delhi against toying with the idea of splitting any political party to regain power.