Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti flew to Delhi on Monday afternoon, a mere 48 hours after her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on government formation in Jammu and Kashmir had been called off.
While senior PDF sources said Ms. Mufti was approached directly on Sunday through emissaries close to the Prime Minister who reportedly expressed “eagerness” to form the government “without any further delay”, the BJP in Delhi appeared tight-lipped and “not very hopeful” of a breakthrough. Jammu and Kashmir is under Governor’s rule ever since the sitting Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed died on January 7.
PDP MLA and former State Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, the party interlocutor with the BJP top brass, was asked by Ms. Mufti to leave in the morning flight to the capital to pick up the threads for a final joint statement. He is likely to meet Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
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Sources in the PDP said a meeting between Ms. Mufti and the Prime Minister is likely to be held soon.
Surprisingly, however, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who, along with Mr. Drabu had worked out the nitty-gritty of the alliance government last year remains in Assam, (where he is party in charge) and is to return to Delhi only on Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday, he and BJP chief Amit Shah will be travelling to Chennai for the sahasrachandradarshana (viewing of the 1000th full moon) ceremony of the Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha, Swami Jayendra Saraswati.
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Surprisingly, however, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who, along with Mr. Drabu had worked out the nitty-gritty of the alliance government last year, remains in Assam (where he is party in charge) and will return to Delhi only on Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday, he and BJP chief Amit Shah will be travelling to Chennai for the sahasrachandradarshana (viewing of the 1000th full moon) ceremony of the Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha, Swami Jayendra Saraswati.
It is not clear whether this itinerary is reflective of the chances of government formation in the State. PDP reiterated that the fresh engagement comes in the wake of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s statement at the BJP’s national executive meet on Sunday where he reiterated his party’s commitment to implement “the agenda of governance in J&K”, one of the demands of the PDP to have assurance from the highest authority in the Centre. Several ongoing measures in the State, including the Rs. 500-crore relief to the 2014 flood victims, final push to the projects like IIT, IIM, and AIIMS and withdrawal of Army personnel from certain urban pockets of the State has also encouraged Ms. Mufti to move ahead and “repose faith in the coalition.”
Ms. Mufti had expressed apprehension over implementation of the ‘Agenda of the Alliance.’
The PDP chief has also called a legislature party meet on March 24. “The party legislators will elect their leader too on that day,” PDP leader Nayeem Akhtar confirmed to The Hindu.
Ms. Mufti has expressed apprehension over implementation of the ‘Agenda of the Alliance