BJP pledges support to Mehbooba, writes to governor

Jammu: Uncertainty over government formation in Jammu & Kashmir which is hanging fire since the demise of chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 seems to coming to an end with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday sending a letter to governor N N Vohra pledging their support to the leadership of Mehbooba Mufti for the post of Chief Minister.

Interacting with reporters here late in the evening, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said: “Today, our party has sent a letter to the Governor stating that from our side we are ready to form the government; whenever PDP leadership decides to move ahead, we are ready to join them.”

“Near a total consensus has emerged between the two parties, and I hope very soon the remaining formalities, including swearing-in of the cabinet, will take place,” he added.

Maintaining that the BJP and the PDP have come together again to form a government in the state, Ram Madhav said, “We have in principle announced our support to the leadership of Mehbooba Mufti for the Chief Minister’s post, to that effect we have sent a letter to the Governor also.”

“Discussions took place between two parties, state units of the BJP and the PDP, in Jammu over past few days. On Thursday morning, Mehbooba Mufti and Dr. Nirmal Singh had a detailed discussion, after which it was decided that both parties should together go ahead and form the government as soon as possible,” said Ram Madhav.

When asked whether there was some differences between the two parties that delayed the government formation in the state, he said, “The first meeting with the Governor took place on a very short notice, and a need was felt that state units of the two parties should sit together and discuss about basic modalities of formation of the new government.”

“We conveyed to the Governor that there should be not any doubt about the support to Mehbooba Mufti’s leadership in forming a new government, but we needed to discuss more and those discussions took place in the last three-four days. And now, after Thursday’s conversation between Dr Singh and Mufti, everything became clear and both the parties are going forward,” added the BJP general secretary.

Asked if there were differences over division of portfolios between the alliance partners, he said you will come to know when the government is formed.

PTI