Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Jan 5: There was no headway in Government formation in the State as yet with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sticking to its principle stand and giving a total indication that there will be no compromise on Party’s ideology.
The BJP Core Group members from the State who met Party national president, Amit Shah at his residence in Delhi today made it clear to him that the next Chief Minister should be from BJP and there should be no deviation on this account and Party should stick to its stand on the core issues.
According to sources, Union Minister in PMO with independent Charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh and Party national general secretary, Ram Madhav were also in the meeting while the BJP leaders from the State who participated in it included Party president Jugal Kishore Sharma, former presidents Ashok Khajuria, Dr Nirmal Singh and Shamsher Singh Manhas, BJP general secretary Org, Ashok Kaul and other general secretaries of the Party Bali Bhagat, Kavinder Gupta and Rajiv Jasrotia. The Core Group members were unanimous on their stand during the meeting with Mr Shah, sources added.
Sources said BJP leaders have made it clear to the Central leadership that they were not in hurry for Government formation and the Party will not compromise on its ideology and core issues which included that the next CM should be from the BJP as the Party has higher vote percentage than any other political party in the State, sources added.
Sources said the BJP leaders from the State have also made it clear to Central leadership that the Party should not allow Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC) to play the BJP like a football and they should concede the BJP’s stand on post of CM and other core issues. Toughening their stand they said BJP can prefer to remain out of power rather than compromise on its ideology, sources added.
The BJP leaders asked the Central leadership that it should keep the Party’s stand before the PDP while holding talks for Government formation with it, sources added.
Sources said the other core issues for BJP included that there should be no compromise on Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), settlement of West Pak, PoK refugees and Kashmiri migrants issue, delimitation of Constituencies and implementation of Constitutional 73rd and 74th amendment to strengthen the basic institutions of democracy in the State.
PTI adds from Delhi that Ram Madhav told reporters after the talks with Core Group from State that PDP has shown some initiative in taking forward talks between the two parties to form a stable Government, after the Assembly polls threw up a fractured verdict.
He said BJP’s Core Group leaders from the State today met party president Amit Shah at his residence here and discussed the issue of taking further the talks with the PDP.
“There has been an initiative from PDP’s side. To take this forward, we discussed to hold further discussions on the issues (with PDP). At the moment, there is some forward movement on the issue,” Madhav said.
Sources said the during the meeting that lasted 90 minutes, the J&K party leaders held discussions with Shah on issues like the post of Chief Minister and the party’s stand on Article 370 and AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) in case BJP goes along with PDP in the State.
“The issue has moved forward. As and when we move forward we will let you know. Keeping in mind the mandate in Jammu and Kashmir, we have decided to take forward the talks,” Madhav said.
Madhav said as efforts to form a stable Government are being made, the Core Group of J&K unit of BJP held a meeting with the party president and discussed the issue.
“The State leaders held discussions on some issues with the party president and the views of all Core Group members were taken,” he said.
Madhav, however, denied starting any structured talks with the PDP and said only informal discussions have been held and formal talks will begin later.
Earlier Madhav met senior party leaders from the state at the party headquarters, ahead of their meeting with Shah.
Meanwhile senior BJP leader and Union Minister Arun Jaitley today said it was “very difficult” for political parties to give up their ideological position but hinted that controversial issues could be set aside.
He underlined that a Government in the sensitive State should be based on three issues — sovereignty, good governance for developmental activities and regional balance — and hoped that “parties involved” would put their “heads together” for the larger interest of the State.
As the stalemate over Government formation continued for the 13th day in a State where Assembly polls threw up a hung verdict, the Finance Minister said the task is a “much larger battle” between democratic parties and the Indian state versus separatists supported from across the border.
He said the BJP-led Government at the Centre would not be happy to impose Governor’s rule in the State as “I think if there is one State which needs a popular Government, it is Jammu and Kashmir.”
Jaitley did not disclose details about the talks being held between BJP and PDP, saying he was not aware.
Asked whether BJP would be able to give up its stand on Article 370 and revoking of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act as demanded by the PDP, he said, “It is very difficult for political parties to give up their ideological positions. Can I expect PDP or NC to give up there ideological positions? Similarly, if they ask BJP to give up its ideological position, the answer is no.”
He said, “once any Government is formed keeping in mind these three aspects (sovereignty, good governance and regional balance), then we can work out what is to be said and what is not to be said without disowning the ideology”, an indication that the controversial issues could be put on the back burner.
“I hope that the parties involved in the process will put their heads together and in the larger interest that Kashmir needs a Government, we work in that direction,” he added.
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