Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Jan 31: After a high-voltage drama in the Legislative Assembly today over Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s purported remark on Article 370 during her reply on Demand of Grants in the House on Monday, the ruling partners PDP and BJP remained busy in diffusing the situation, which was finally settled down with an hour long meeting between the CM and Deputy CM Dr Nirmal Singh.
Sources told the Excelsior that Dr Nirmal Singh, Leader of BJP Legislature Party, called on Mehbooba Mufti at the CM residence this evening and held a detailed meeting, during which both the leaders discussed the situation following developments in the Legislative Assembly today.
In the meeting, which lasted more than 45 minutes, sources added that both the leaders amicably sorted out the confusion with regard to the stand taken by both the parties on Article 370 and reaffirmed their commitment to ‘Agenda of Alliance’ for continuation of the PDP-BJP coalition Government in the State.
Earlier, in their separate meetings, both PDP and BJP also reiterated their commitment to the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ of the coalition Government in the State and foil opposition attempts of ‘polarization’ on political, regional and communal lines in Jammu & Kashmir.
Immediately after Legislative Assembly was adjourned for the day following ruckus in the House over Article 370, senior PDP Ministers rushed to the Chief Minister’s office chamber within the Legislative Complex and sought to pacify Mehbooba Mufti, who was apparently upset and agitated over the developments in the House, sources informed.
The senior PDP Ministers, sources added, managed to convenience the Chief Minister that no hasty decision should be taken with regard to the alliance with BJP, which was stitched by late Mufti Mohd Sayeed after well thought assessment on outcome of bringing opposite poles together.
After this informal meeting, sources said that the Chief Minister also visited the PDP headquarters at Gandhi Nagar Jammu and briefly stayed there where a function in connection with felicitation of newly appointed Vice-Chairman of JKTDC was going on, sources further said.
Meanwhile, the BJP Ministers and Legislators also met at the Deputy CM Dr Nirmal Singh’s official residence in the evening around 6.30 pm and deliberated over the suddenly aroused situation in wake of Chief Minister’s remark that those opposing Article 370 were anti-nationals.
Even as some young MLAs expressed their concern over the purported remark, they were pacified by the seniors, particularly Dr Nirmal Singh, who explained that the coalition Government was stick to ‘Agenda of Alliance’ only. “Though there may be some difference on perceptions with regard to certain issues as BJP-PDP alliance is neither political nor ideological but purely based on Agenda of Alliance for which we are committed,” he told the Excelsior and ruled out any threat to the coalition Government.
The BJP meet also resolved to effectively counter the opposition charges on floor of the House by adopting a strategy.
When contacted, Minister for Education and the Government spokesman, Naeem Akhtar also stressed that both the coalition partners were committed to Agenda of Alliance and today’s development on floor of the House would have no adverse impact on continuation of the coalition.
Haseeb Drabu, Minister for Finance, also echoed the same views and said that both the parties have ideological difference but they had come together under an ‘Agenda of Alliance’ for development of the State. “Moreover the Chief Minister didn’t say anything controversial on Article 370 but she was just referring to the Section 35-A of the Constitution and the forces inimical to the PDP-BJP coalition,’ he claimed.
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