BJP to send envoy to Srinagar for discussing alliance with PDP

A BJP emissary will travel to Srinagar in the coming week to negotiate government formation with the PDP in Jammu & Kashmir. Governor’s rule was imposed in the state on January 9 when the two ideologically divergent partners failed to form the government following sitting chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s death on January 7.

Sayeed’s daughter, Mehbooba, on Friday had hinted at snapping ties with BJP if the Centre did not announce confidence building measures to end the stalemate.

A source said that BJP chief Amit Shah has asked the party’s national general secretary Ram Madhav to discuss the issue with PDP chief Mehbooba. “Madhav will reach out to Mehbooba in the coming week. We want the confusion to end soon,” a BJP functionary told HT.

The party wants the stalemate to end before the start of the Budget session on February 23. It has already conveyed to the PDP its disappointment at the delay.

A meeting of BJP top brass and RSS senior members is expected to take place in Delhi over the next two days on the issue. It will be attended by senior leaders from the BJP’s Jammu unit as well.

“The BJP cadre in the state is very upset with the statements made by PDP. The statement by Mehbooba Mufti that the party is ready to go it alone in the state, indicating a fresh election, has been taken seriously,” a BJP source said. Party workers on ground have been asked to start “organisational work” in the state, which includes reaching out to people. Meetings by BJP leaders are being held in constituencies and workers have been instructed to highlight the achievements of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and in the state during the coalition rule.

Meanwhile, PDP senior leader and spokesperson Nayeem Akhtar reiterated on Monday that the call will be taken by Mehbooba once the party is convinced the alliance will be beneficial to the people of the state. He, however, denied that the BJP had set any deadline for the PDP.