The Government formation exercise in Jammu & Kashmir has entered the final stage with the BJP and the PDP deciding to hold talks in New Delhi to give the final shape to the Common Minimum Programme (CMP). The high-level meeting between the leaders of both the parties is scheduled for February 15-16 after which the date of Government formation would be announced, probably before the commencement of the Parliament Session on February 23.
According to reports, both the parties have reached a broad consensus to initiate the process of Government formation after finalising the CMP. PDP patron Mufti Mohd Sayeed is likely to head the alliance Government. BJP’s Nirmal Singh has emerged as a front-runner for the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
The final decision over the rotational Chief Minister and other contentious issues raised by the PDP during preliminary discussions would be taken during the meeting. “This issue will be dealt under the leadership of the Prime Minister,” sources said. According to some reports, Mufti may be given full term as the CM of the State.
Before visiting the national Capital, Delhi BJP leaders are also scheduled to attend core group meeting in Jammu on Friday. Both the parties have nominated six leaders each to hold formal dialogue to prepare the final draft of the CMP.
According to reports, the BJP has nominated party general secretary Ram Madhav, MoS in PMO Jitendra Singh, Nirmal Singh, party MP and State unit chief Jugal Kishore Sharma, and lal Singh.
The PDP will be represented by Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Tariq Hamid Qarra, Haseeb Drabu, Syed Altaf Bukhari, Naeem Akhtar, and Vikramaditya Singh.
PDP patron Mufti Mohd Sayeed had earlier listed initiation of dialogue over Kashmir issue both internally and externally as top priority on its agenda along with the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act and transfer of NHPC-run power projects to the State Government.
The BJP is expected to clear the air over its core agenda of abrogating/debating Article 370, granting citizenship rights to West Pakistan refugees and tackling perceived discrimination with Jammu and ladkah regions of the State during the meeting.
The BJP and the PDP are expected to clinch the deal for Government formation in Jammu & Kashmir with 98 per cent of CMP agreed upon as both sides are to give the finishing touches on “wording” of couple of issues which are to be incorporated in the CMP.
Not ruling out a formal announcement to the formation of coalition in the border state around or before the commencement of the Parliament session beginning February 23, sources indicated that both sides have dealt with contentious issues of Article 370 and the AFPSA. “Both the issues are being worked out in the national interest,” they said.