Governor NN Vohra has summoned both PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and the BJP to discuss government formation today. (PTI File Photo)
New Delhi:
Ahead of the meeting with the Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra today to clear its stand on government formation, BJP's Nirmal Singh met PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti in the state's winter capital.
The BJP is likely to put the ball in alliance partner PDP's court when it meets Jammu and Kashmir Governor today regarding government formation in the state, sources told NDTV. The PDP has to decide, it has the Chief Minister's post, party sources said.
Governor NN Vohra has summoned both PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and the BJP to discuss government formation today. Ms Mufti will meet the Governor at 4:30 pm, the BJP at 6 pm.
The BJP will continue to support the PDP, sources said after a meeting between the state leaders, party chief Amit Shah and general secretary Ram Madhav on Monday evening, held to formulate its response to the Governor's summons.
The BJP huddle took place after Ms Mufti's insistence that the party pledge in writing its support to the PDP's stand on contentious issues like Article 370, which grants the state special status, and the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which allows arrest without a warrant.
The PDP wants a written assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Shah on these.
But the BJP has refused to give any such assurance - the two parties, which have traditionally held opposite stands on these issues, came together in an uneasy alliance 10 months ago.
The BJP has indicated that it considers the controversial issues "settled" when Mehbooba's father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed scripted the alliance based on a common agenda of governance. But the party is also not overtly flexing muscle as it does not want to be seen as damaging the coalition or pushing the state towards a political crisis.
Since Mufti's death on January 7, Mehbooba Mufti has refused to take oath to succeed him as chief minister, indicating that she will not bend and is not averse to fresh elections. The BJP was playing wait and watch, hoping the PDP would bury its demands in favour of renewing their alliance.
Mehbooba, BJP leaders say, is trying to address her constituency in Kashmir, where the PDP won all its 27 seats. "If the PDP has its constituency to address, the BJP can't ignore its base in Jammu or across the country," said a senior BJP leader. The BJP won all its 25 seats in Jammu.
The BJP is likely to put the ball in alliance partner PDP's court when it meets Jammu and Kashmir Governor today regarding government formation in the state, sources told NDTV. The PDP has to decide, it has the Chief Minister's post, party sources said.
Governor NN Vohra has summoned both PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and the BJP to discuss government formation today. Ms Mufti will meet the Governor at 4:30 pm, the BJP at 6 pm.
The BJP will continue to support the PDP, sources said after a meeting between the state leaders, party chief Amit Shah and general secretary Ram Madhav on Monday evening, held to formulate its response to the Governor's summons.
The BJP huddle took place after Ms Mufti's insistence that the party pledge in writing its support to the PDP's stand on contentious issues like Article 370, which grants the state special status, and the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which allows arrest without a warrant.
The PDP wants a written assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Shah on these.
But the BJP has refused to give any such assurance - the two parties, which have traditionally held opposite stands on these issues, came together in an uneasy alliance 10 months ago.
The BJP has indicated that it considers the controversial issues "settled" when Mehbooba's father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed scripted the alliance based on a common agenda of governance. But the party is also not overtly flexing muscle as it does not want to be seen as damaging the coalition or pushing the state towards a political crisis.
Since Mufti's death on January 7, Mehbooba Mufti has refused to take oath to succeed him as chief minister, indicating that she will not bend and is not averse to fresh elections. The BJP was playing wait and watch, hoping the PDP would bury its demands in favour of renewing their alliance.
Mehbooba, BJP leaders say, is trying to address her constituency in Kashmir, where the PDP won all its 27 seats. "If the PDP has its constituency to address, the BJP can't ignore its base in Jammu or across the country," said a senior BJP leader. The BJP won all its 25 seats in Jammu.
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