Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 24: As the decks have been cleared for the formation of coalition Government in the State with the election of Mehbooba Mufti as PDP Legislative Party leader today, the BJP Legislature Party is meeting here tomorrow to discuss the prevailing political situation in the State and formally announce its support to PDP in formation of a coalition Government.
According to highly placed sources in BJP, Party High Command has deputed its national general secretary and incharge J&K Ram Madhav who is also considered the architect of coalition between the two parties last year and Minister of State in PMO with Independent Charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh to convene the BJP Legislature Party meeting here tomorrow to discuss its future strategy regarding formation of coalition with PDP.
Sources said the meeting will be held at State Guest House here at 11.30 am in which all BJP legislators are participating. Sources said that BJP legislators are meeting tomorrow to review the current political situation in the State and elicit the opinion of legislators ahead of meeting State Governor later tomorrow regarding extension of support to PDP in formation of coalition in the State.
However, the BJP has not invited its pre poll alliance partner People’s Conference (PC) and Independent MLA from Udhampur Pawan Gupta in tomorrow’s meeting. Sources said that it is the only BJP Legislature Party meeting and allies will be consulted later on.
When contacted PC chairman Sajjad Gani Lone said “it is the BJP’s Legislature Party meet and our’s is a separate party so they have not invited us. Last time also the PC MLAs were not invited in BJP Legislature Party meet’’, he added .
He, however, said that his Party’s hundred percent support is to BJP in formation of coalition in the State.
The People’s Conference which supported the last coalition headed by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed had one Cabinet Minister in it while Independent MLA from Udhampur Pawan Gupta who was also supporting the coalition then was holding the portfolio of Minister of State at that time.
Sources said both Madhav and Dr Jitendra Singh are reaching Jammu early tomorrow morning to elicit the opinion of Party Legislators on Government formation in the State. After the meeting BJP State president, Sat Sharma will meet State Governor, N N Vohra here in the afternoon and apprise him about the extension of support to PDP in formation of coalition Government in the State. However, the other leaders of the Party to accompany him will also be discussed in the meeting, sources added.
It may be recalled that State was put under Governor’s rule on January 8 this year after the sudden demise of former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on January 7 and reluctance shown by PDP chief, Mehbooba Mufti to take over as the successor of her father.
This delayed the formation of elected Government for two and a half months. Though parleys were held at a number of occasions between BJP and PDP leaders regarding the Government formation, no headway was reached till last week when PDP chief met BJP national president Amit Shah in New Delhi which paved a way for her (Mehbooba’s) meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 22 at Union Capital and brightening the chances of Government formation in the State.
Meanwhile, BJP has reiterated that coalition between the two parties will continue on the basis of Agenda of Alliance (AoA) and no fresh conditions have been kept by PDP as reported in a section of the press.
Ram Madhav while talking to reporters in Union Capital on Wednesday had said that Agenda of Alliance formed by two parties previously will be the only corner stone for the future coalition also in the State.
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