After days of political uncertainty, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday finally indicated its alliance with the BJP will continue in the State under the leadership of Mehbooba Mufti.
Though no timeframe has been set for the oath-taking ceremony, a senior leader
of the party said that the coalition will be the continuation of the arrangement painstakingly set by late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.
Sources said the process
of Government formation will pick up pace after the seven-day official mourning ends on Wednesday.
“There is no stalemate as being projected by the media. Here is a daughter, who lost her father who was her guide, mentor and everything.
She is in mourning and once she is in a proper frame of mind, the Government formation process will begin,” Mehboob Beg, the PDP’s chief spokesman told The Pioneer referring to Mehbooba Mufti’s state of mind after the demise of her Chief Minister father.
Sayeed died on January 7, which necessitated imposition of Governor’s rule in J&K on the following day. Mehbooa was grief-stricken and refused to take-oath as the new Chief Minister. She partially began her political activity on January 10 on the culmination of fateh khwana (the fourth day prayer rituals).
The delay in Government formation triggered speculation on the continuation of the unprecedented coalition between the PDP and the BJP, the parties with diverse ideologies and political constituency. The coalition began its maiden innings on March 1 when late Mufti Sayeed took oath in Jammu for the second time as Chief Minister. He was nominated the CM for full six-year term.
“There is no doubt on the continuation of alliance with the BJP. It is an alliance forged by Mufti sahib himself very painstakingly and consciously. He referred to it as joining the North Pole and South Pole”, he said, indicating that there were no second thoughts in the party on running the alliance Government.
“This coalition has been framed to bridge the gap between the diverse regions of our State where seeds of disunity have been sown in the past”, he said.
He, however, refused to set any timeframe for the oath ceremony. “It is up to the party leader who enjoys the support. As and when she decides the process to begin, it shall begin,” he said.
Former legislator and PDP general secretary Nizamuddin Bhat said that Mehbooba Mufti was the final authority in the party to take any decision.
“Her (Mehbooba’s) loss is absolutely irreparable. Nobody can rush her into taking decisions. She has the confidence of the party rank and file and is qualified enough to take a dispassionate view on the political matters,” he said.
Sources said the PDP has begun an internal exercise to reshape the party. “Once Mehbooba Mufti takes over as the CM, the party affairs will be handed over to a senior leader,” an insider said.
Sources said that some former Ministers, both from the PDP and the BJP, may face axe on the basis of their 10-month performance.
There are many factors for the rumour-mongering that happened during the past week. “There is a former legislator who lost the previous election. He is keen to see the Assembly dissolved and fresh elections held,” said the insider.
Meanwhile, the BJP maintains that it has set no preconditions on the PDP. Senior BJP leader Avinash Rai Khanna said that the party is awaiting PDP’s initiative to seek letter of support from the party. Sources said the BJP leaders engaged in deliberations in Jammu on the emerging political situation in the State.