Roadblock or minor hiccup? PM Modi to take final call on BJP-PDP government formation
Srinagar: The talks between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) on government formation in Jammu and Kashmir have not hit a roadblock as such but are witnessing minor hiccups, mainly on the choice of "language" that would be used for "ideological issues" including Article 370 and Armed Forces (Special) Powers' Act.
According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will now take a final call on the Common Minimum Programme or CMP on the basis of which the two parties plan to govern Jammu and Kashmir. The Common Minimum Programme that would provide the basis for the coalition is almost ready and the small irritants that lately crept in during the discussions between the two sides were likely to be sorted out within a day, the sources in the two parties said.
However, in view of the existing and potential resentment from sections of their respective parties and in the case of the BJP also from the RSS, both the BJP and the PDP want to be extra careful while finalizing the draft of their CMP. Also, given the political sensibilities in Jammu and Kashmir particularly Kashmir Valley, the PDP has sought to make the CMP public before the two sides formally announce cobbling up of an alliance to form the new government officially,
Sources said the BJP initially wanted the AFSPA to be kept out of the CMP as it is "not an article of faith" but a security requirement and is non-negotiable. But it has now accepted that the issue falls in the state government’s domain; hence has agreed to the PDP suggestion that a review of the issues relating to notifying of ‘Disturbed Areas’ shall take place at earliest that in turn may pave the way for gradual revocation of AFSPA. Yet the BJP has made it somewhat categorical that the Army must be taken into confidence on the contentious issue before initiating any step towards its revocation.
PDP had in its election manifesto 'Aspirational Agenda' pledged to use Article 370 to restore the original special status of the State, saying “This special provision of the Constitution of India is required to empower the people of J&K and help deal with the issues of identity, borders and governance.”
The BJP wants 'respecting Article 370' to be replaced by ‘status quo ante’ to be maintained in the CMP. Now the two sides are discovering the mutually agreeable phrases to be used in the document, the sources said. Earlier the BJP had expressed its unhappiness over PDP's seeking to make the CMP a ‘public debate’ even before it is finalised by "planting" stories in some newspapers.
As reported earlier, the two sides have already agreed that the Chief Minister of the state will be PDP patron Mufti Muhammed Sayeed whereas the BJP will get the post of Deputy Chief Minister for its 59-year-old leader from Jammu Dr. Nirmal Singh. Mr. Mufti could meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the two parties make a formal announcement of forming a coalition government.
This would be followed by the coalition approaching Governor NN Vohra to stake its claim to form the government. In the recently held elections, PDP emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats, BJP with 25 seats, NC with 15 and Congress 12 seats whereas the remaining seven seats in the 87-member House went to Independents and candidates of smaller parties. However, the PDP's tally went up by one when Independent MLA from Zanskar (Ladakh), Bakir Hussein Rizvi, joined the party two weeks ago.
