J-K hung Assembly: PDP may favour old ally Congress over new player BJP

Mumbai: The BJP put up a good fight in Jammu and Kashmir, its best in the state so far, its gains were mainly in the Jammu region. The party could not make a dent in the Valley where PDP is the clear winner. It is now obvious the PDP is in a position to choose its coalition partner to form the Jammu and Kashmir government.

BJP President Amit Shah also hinted that the party has kept all its options open on government formation in the valley. Meanwhile, in one of the interesting developments, Congress on Tuesday said it was ‘open’ to aligning with PDP in the state to provide a government.

Party                                             Seats                            Change of seats

PDP                                              28                                        +7

BJP                                               25                                       +14

JKNC                                            15                                       -13                 

Cong                                        12                                           -05

In the 87 member Assembly, BJP got 25 seats and PDP 28 seats. Omar Abdullah’s National Conference managed to get 15 seats whereas Congress came fourth with only 12 seats. 

"We are always open. We have allied with PDP as well as with National Conference in past. One thing is clear that we will not go with BJP. As far as they (PDP and NC) are concerned, we have had alliances with them," Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

It will be easier to come together with Congress than BJP to form government in Jammu & Kashmir, senior PDP leader and MP Muzaffar Hussain Baig said here on Tuesday.

"It will be easier for PDP and Congress to come together then for PDP and BJP to come together because with Congress we had a common minimum programme and it will be easier," Baig said.

He said that PDP's experience has shown that a coalition can be successful only when there is a common minimum programme.

Meanwhile, the BJP managed to wrestle back Jharkhand from JMM with good numbers. 

Party                                                 Seats Won                Change of seat

BJP+                                                        42                        +19

JMM+                                                      19                       +1

Cong+                                                       07                      -14

JVM+                                                       07                       -4