The political impasse in Jammu & Kashmir is heading towards a closure as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti is all set to become the first woman Chief Minister of the embattled State. She would be formally elected the legislature party chief on March 24 in Srinagar, thus paving the way for her ascendance to the helm.
The two-and-a-half-month-long stalemate ended in a brief meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mehbooba in New Delhi. The PDP chief described the meeting as “very positive and good” and maintained she was “very satisfied”.
Sources said that Mehbooba (56) has sent a missive to all party legislators to assemble in summer capital Srinagar on Thursday. She will be formally elected the legislature party chief, a pre-requisite to stake claim for the Government formation.
“We are seeing a stalemate for last two to three months over Government formation in the State but today I am satisfied. I am very satisfied,” she told reporters after her meeting with the PM. Asked if the stalemate has ended, she said, “When you meet the Prime Minister of the country, naturally the solution to the problems faced by the people of Jammu & Kashmir is more clear”.
Sources said that the oath ceremony would be held next week. “There is possibility that the oath will take place on March 29. No dates have been finalised though,” said a senior PDP leader privy with the developments.
Sources said that Mehbooba is likely to repeat the Council of Ministers that worked with her late father. “The party has not discussed these matters yet. Such discussions will be held after March 24”, the leader said.
The Government formation was hanging in the balance after Mehbooba exhibited reluctance to take oath following the demise of her father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on January 7. Mehbooba was seeking commitment from the Central Government on the time-bound implementation of the Agenda of Alliance, even as she described it as a document carved in stone. The Agenda of Alliance was inked between Modi and Mufti Muhammad Sayeed before the formation of PDP-BJP coalition on March 1, 2015.
Mehbooba, however, nursed a grudge that her father was not treated well by the Central Government. She refused to step into her father’s shoes without guarantee on the time-bound implementation of the agenda. Even as BJP consistently maintained that it had no issues with Mehbooba’s elevation to the top seat, the alliance seemed to be on a sticky wicket last week after the PDP chief’s meeting with her BJP counterpart Amit Shah.
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said that the party was not willing to form the Government with PDP on conditions. The situation was, however, reversed after Mehbooba’s meeting with the PM on Tuesday morning.
“The future course of action regarding government formation would be decided at the legislature party meeting scheduled for March 24”, PDP spokesman Mehboob Beg said.
“Following the sad demise of our leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the PDP had authorised the party president Mehbooba Mufti to take a call on the party’s future course of action vis-à-vis Government formation and her meeting with the Prime Minister today and with BJP president Amit Shah earlier was part of the same process,” Beg said terming the meeting as “very positive”.
He said Mehbooba would brief the legislators about her deliberations with the Prime Minister. “The party would announce its future course of action and the next step after its legislature party meeting which is the proper forum to take a call on such issues,” he said.
Ram Madhav said that the issues related to Government formation would be discussed in a meeting of PDP and BJP legislators. The joint meeting will be held after Mehbooba’s election as legislature party chief.
Meanwhile, the National Conference asked the PDP and the Prime Minister’s Office to come clean on what demands were made by Mehbooba as a pre-requisite for Government formation in the State and what concessions, if any, were granted in the meeting with the Prime Minister
Former Chief Minister and National Conference working president Omar Abdullah accused Mehbooba of opting for power and not principles while deciding to re-align with the BJP.
“It’s becoming increasingly clear that in the choice between principles & power Mehbooba has opted for power”, Abdullah tweeted.
“The PDP must come clean & let people know what concessions Mehbooba sought from the PM & what assurances, if any, she received from him,” Omar said in a series of tweets.
“It’s not enough for her to come out from meeting the PM & say she is satisfied. Her satisfaction is immaterial if she left empty handed,” Omar said.
Pradesh Congress Committee president GA Mir said that people and political parties in the State need to know as to what transpired in “secret” meetings between the PDP and the BJP which seem ready now for continuing their alliance.
“Government formation between the PDP and the BJP is good but on which conditions and new things the PDP seems to be ready to continue the alliance. They must explain to the people and political parties here,” Mir said.
“Why did the PDP delay the Government formation for over two months when the party is ready to worship the “sacred” document of Agenda of Alliance on which they wanted assurance and timeframe form their coalition partner,” he said.
legislator and CPI(M) state secretary MY Tarigami said that even as alliance between the PDP and the BJP was intact all the time, yet its continuance does not provide anything new to celebrate about.