Political impasse in J&K appears to be ending, BJP positive on alliance with PDP
New Delhi: The six-week political impasse in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday appeared to be ending with BJP showing its willingness to accept PDP's demand for time-bound implementation of certain elements of common programme while saying that both sides are "positive" on continuing the alliance.
BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav, who flew to Srinagar yesterday for a brief visit and held talks with PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, hoped that the alliance formed in March last year would continue on the basis of "previous arrangement".
"Talks were positive. Both parties are positive that the state will benefit by continuing with the arrangement which guided our 8-9 month old government. We can give a stable government with the same arrangement. This view is on both side... I hope, yes, there will be continuation of previous arrangement," he told reporters here.
He insisted that the coalition will work on the basis of 'Agenda of Alliance' firmed up between the two parties last year and asserted that "there will be no dilution" or "any new addition" in it.
At the same time, he said BJP is willing to discuss bringing into a "timeline" a "few issues" which have found a mention in the alliance's Common Minimum Programme, implying readiness to accept Mehbooba's demand in this regard.
"If some issues, which are a part of Agenda of Alliance, are to be brought under a timeline, then the two parties can surely discuss them...But the government formation process should based on the Agenda of Alliance. This is what I have told Mehboobaji," he said, while noting that this was the first detailed discussion between the two parties over the government formation.
He said he had conveyed to her that the government under her late father was running well on the basis of the Common Minimum Programme and BJP wanted the arrangement to continue.
The two leaders decided to "speed up" work on a few issues and put them under a "timeline", he said without elaborating.
There will be more clarity after the meeting of PDP leaders with BJP leadership, Madhav added.
The leaders of PDP will arrive in Delhi shortly to discuss these issues with BJP leaders as well as ministers since some of them concern the government, Madhav said.
Though he refused to be drawn into the issues, PDP is understood to be pressing for revocation of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and holding talks with separatists among others with a specific timeline.
The BJP leader denied a media report which said the party has agreed to revoke AFSPA from some areas of Kashmir on trial basis, claiming that there has been no discussion on it.
PDP, with 27 MLAs, and BJP, with 25 MLAs, in the 87-member Assembly ran a 10-month coalition government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed till his sudden death on January 7 but uncertainty creeped in after Mehbooba, seen as his successor, did not stake claim to form the next government.
The logjam continued for about 40 days, during which Mehbooba hardened her stance, saying PDP "cannot move forward” in forming government with BJP unless the Centre takes "tangible" CBMs to address the causes of alienation and works towards a lasting solution to the state's problems.
