BJP, PDP formally announce alliance, to form Govt in J-K

NEW DELHI:
The BJP and PDP today formally announced that they are coming together to form a Government in Jammu and Kashmir which is likely to be sworn in on March one.
A Common Minimum Programme (CMP) covering contentious issues such as Article 370 of the Constitution that grants special status to J&K and the controversial AFSPA is the basis of the alliance of the two parties which will emable BJP to come to power for the first time in the sensitive state.
The announcement was made by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and BJP President Amit Shah at a joint media interaction after their crucial 45-minute meeting at the latter’s residence here to give final touches to the CMP, two months after the State Assembly poll results threw up a hung verdict on December 23.
This will be followed by a meeting between PDP patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, who is set to be the Chief Minister, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow after which the CMP will be made public on Thursday, official sources said.
The swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place on March one with the date having been apparently chosen keeping in mind that it is an “auspicious day”.
“After several round of talks on different issues, there is near consensus on a CMP and very soon the people of J-K will have a popular alliance Government of PDP and BJP,” Shah said. PDP emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats closely followed by BJP with 25 MLAs in a House of 87.
He said that the date and time of the Government formation will be announced after Modi meets Sayeed. (AGENCIES)