BJP leader extended Jammu stay by a day hoping for breakthrough
Suspense over the formation of government in Jammu and Kashmir continued on Wednesday as BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav returned to Delhi this afternoon after holding discussions with constituents of the Sangh Parivar over the political developments in the state following the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Ram Madhav along with Avinash Rai Khanna, in charge of J&K BJP, had reached Jammu on Tuesday evening to brief the local leadership about the progress related to forming the new regime in the state.
The BJP general secretary, who was scheduled to return to Delhi on Tuesday evening, had extended his stay at Jammu with the hope of some breakthrough today. “As the PDP has not officially communicated any decision to the BJP on the formation of the coalition government till this afternoon, Madhav returned to Delhi,” a source said.
Highly placed sources said that after holding a formal meeting with BJP leaders, including party legislators and MPs at the residence of former Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh on Tuesday evening, Ram Madhav’s discussions with constituents of the Sangh Parivar continued till this afternoon.
“During these marathon meetings, Ram Madhav made it clear that there were no second thoughts for the two coalition partners over the formation of the government in the state,” a source said, adding that the BJP general secretary, who was earlier instrumental in the formation of the Mufti Sayeed-led regime, struck down the idea of a rotational chief minister. He cited various examples from different parts of the country where the formula of rotational chief minister had failed.
During interactions with the constituents of Sangh Parivar, the sources said, Ram Madhav maintained that due to sudden death of Mufti Sayeed it was ethically wrong to impose fresh conditions for re-stitching the coalition. “Had the change of guard taken place in the presence of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the BJP would have been in a position to impose some conditions but now the situation in entirely different,” a source, quoting Ram Madhav, said.
The sources said the party leadership also discussed changing portfolios of some ministers in the new regime.
