For the first time, the Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti on Monday revealed to her party legislators here that she has sought an assurance from the Bharatiya Janata Party on “time-bound implementation” of the “Agenda of Alliance” and was awaiting a response from the other side.
Chairing the PDP Legislature Party meeting at her Gupkar residence here, Mehbooba recalled her brief meeting with the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on January 7 when he flew to Srinagar to condole the demise of her father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.“During the meeting, he (Home Minister) offered that I should take over as the Chief Minister, saying he was conveying the Prime Minister’s message. I told him (Singh) that I need some time to ‘rethink’ to which he responded that they will send their representative for a dialogue in coming days,” a senior PDP leader, who attended today’s meeting, quoted Mehbooba as saying there.
On January 8, Mehbooba told the legislators today, that the BJP’s General Secretary and party’s point-man for Kashmir, Ram Madhav visited her to condole Sayeed’s death. During the meeting the “issue” (government formation) had come up for discussion.
“I told him (Madhav) that you (BJP and New Delhi) will have to walk an extra mile for implementing certain things (Agenda of Alliance) that have been already agreed upon by both the alliance partners,” the PDP leader quoted Mehbooba informing the meeting.
Mehbooba, according to him, had also raised with Madhav “certain issues” like New Delhi’s failure to release financial assistance to J&K’s flood victims and also the “go-slow approach” on the Agenda.
“I told him (Madhav) that I am not Mufti Sahab who could run the state with empty treasuries. You will have to come forward to give a message to people that Government of India and BJP will take care of their interests in absence of Mufti Sahab,” Mehbooba told the meeting.
But, according to the party leader, the BJP hasn’t responded to the concerns raised by the PDP President so far.
“MehboobaJi also disclosed this in today’s meeting,” he said.
Another senior PDP leader said the party hasn’t put forth any fresh conditions on government formation but is seeking an assurance on the already worked out roadmap for governance.
“MehboobaJi is very particular in seeing some progress in implementation of the Agenda of Alliance which is very sacred for us,” said the PDP leader.
On Sunday, the PDP President told a party meeting that she would go ahead to re-stitch the coalition with BJP if she gets an assurance that there would be a time bound progress on implementation of the Agenda of Alliance.
“My biggest legacy is my party and my father’s vision to take the State out of political uncertainty. If I feel we can make progress on the Agenda of Alliance, even if I get consumed by joining hands with BJP, I won’t mind. I am ready to give this sacrifice,” she had said. “But if we can’t achieve the set goals, I won’t compromise even if I am left alone in this battle.”
Meanwhile, today’s legislature party meeting authorized Mehbooba to talk to Governor NN Vohra on government formation and take a call on future course of action.
The meeting however ended without electing the legislative party leader, giving a sense that the party was not in a hurry to form the Government. Mehbooba has been invited by the Governor for a discussion on government formation at Jammu on Tuesday.
“We are in no hurry to form the government nor shall we stake claim for government formation in coming days till we get an assurance on Agenda of Alliance,” said the PDP leader.
He said there was “every chance” that government formation won’t take place in near future.
“Now that the responsibility has shifted on MehboobaJi, she was authorized by the party legislators to take any decision on the issue. The legislators explained to the President that they will support her all decisions,” said the PDP leader.
