The inordinate delay in Government formation following former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed’s death on January 7 continues to keep the political pundits guessing. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has scheduled a meeting of district and zonal level functionaries on January 31 to discuss the political affairs even as the party has clarified that the meeting will not discuss Government formation.
The BJP is awaiting signal from the PDP for the Government formation but its leadership is clueless on PDP’s future course of action. The BJP says that technically PDP has to elect its leader of legislative party before seeking support (of BJP) for the Government formation.
“After the demise of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, PDP has not elected its legislative party leader. PDP has to first show its cards, then BJP can say something,” BJP’s national vice president and MP Avinash Rai Khanna said.
The PDP has sent mixed signals over its continuation of alliance with the BJP. First the party gave to understand that it has serious issues with the way the central government pursued the Agenda of Alliance framed by the two parties before entering into alliance. However, later, later the party clarified that the Agenda of Alliance was “a sacred document”.
The PDP vows to pursue the Agenda but continues to delay the government formation. This unprecedented situation is allowing rumour factories to construct newest theories.
Earlier this week, Mufti’s widow Gulshan Begum shifted some personal belongings from Chief Minister’s official residence in Jammu. Some media reports linked the act to PDP’s disinterest in government formation.
The BJP says that it has not received any proposal from the PDP to renegotiate the terms of alliance. “No statement has come from the PDP leadership over it (revisiting Agenda of Alliance). First let the PDP choose its leader,” Khanna said.
The BJP leader said that the party is not desperate because in politics a number of things are first discussed and then a decision is taken.