BJP, PDP strike deal for government formation in J&K

Srinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party and Peoples Democratic Party appear to have reached an agreement on sharing power in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources in the two parties said that, in fact, the deal has been done and vetted by their respective senior party leaderships.

Also, the BJP has got the consent of the RSS patriarchs. A formal announcement about government formation is likely to be made in the next couple of days. “You will have an elected  government in power in J&K by the end of next week,” a senior PDP leader told this newspaper on condition of anonymity.  

“The draft of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) is now ready. All the contentious issues, like Article 370, Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act and rehabilitation of erstwhile West Pakistan refugees, have been suitably dealt with and sensibly incorporated,” he added.

Sources said PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed will be chief minister for the full six-year term whereas a senior BJP leader from J&K, Dr. Nirmal Singh, will be  deputy Chief Minister.

Sources said that the two sides have agreed to take the Army on board on the issue of reviewing the Disturbed Areas Act in the run-up to withdrawing of Afspa from selected areas in the state which are considered peaceful. In this connection, a committee may be set up to identify  the areas where the said law can be  withdrawn in a gradual manner, strictly  on the basis of a security assessment.