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Valley shuts on Afzal’s death anniversary

February 10, 2016February 10, 2016 Editor

The authorities had imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar city while a shutdown was observed across the Valley today on the third death anniversary of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The police said the situation remained peaceful across the Valley. The security forces were on high alert across Kashmir in view of the strike and shutdown call by separatists. “There is no report of any violence in the Valley,” said a police spokesman. In Srinagar, police and paramilitary personnel had imposed restrictions in old city and volatile Maisuma to thwart…

Talks on between PDP-BJP, but behind closed doors

February 9, 2016 Editor

Saffron party expects impasse to end by March Despite all the tough talk and posturing on both sides, warring allies PDP and BJP continue to be engaged in a dialogue on government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, top BJP sources indicated today. Keeping alive the hopes of the first saffron government in the state, a BJP leader in the know of developments in the currently Governor-ruled state said talks with the PDP were “very much on”. “Talks are going on. The government formation may take some more time but we…

Guv makes efforts for early govt formation, State completes one month governor rule

February 8, 2016 Editor

As the state has completed a month under the Central rule after the death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Governor NN Vohra has made serious efforts for early restoration of an elected government in J&K. The prolonged Central rule is the outcome of the ongoing political impasse between the Peoples Democratic Party and the BJP — the two largest parties in the Legislative Assembly —- over the formation of a new government in Jammu and Kashmir following the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7. The state came…

Sangh to meet in Delhi on Feb 10 to decide on govt formation

February 6, 2016 Editor

A crucial meeting of the Sangh Parivar will be held in New Delhi on February 10 to take a final call on government formation in J&K. As the PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti, has set some preconditions for the restitching of alliance with the BJP, the Sangh Parivar, a conglomerate of various organisations affiliated to the RSS, has decided to tread cautiously in the only Muslim-majority state. Top leaders of the RSS from J&K and members of the core group of the state BJPwill sit together with party president Amit Shah…

Vohra appoints advisors, signals long central rule

February 5, 2016 Editor

Two days after meeting the BJP and PDP, Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra has appointed two advisers to help with administration in an indication of a long stint of Central rule in the state. The advisers, retired Indian Administrative Service officers Pervez Devan and Khursheed Ganai, will have powers equivalent to cabinet ministers. Besides, senior-most bureaucrats in the government — Chief Secretary BR Sharma and financial Commissioner BB Viyas — shall also exercise powers as advisors, a senior officer told . On Tuesday, Mr Vohra had met People’s Democratic…

Be ready for govt or polls: Mehbooba to party men

February 5, 2016 Editor

PDP awaits Centre’s response to CBMs With no headway on government formation yet, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today asked her party workers to be ready for either situation — a new government or fresh elections. She said this during a meeting with delegations at the party office here this afternoon which had come to express their condolences on the death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and get directions for the future course of action. “Mehboobaji asked us to express our views on government formation. We told her that whatever…

Mid-term polls will hurt Mehbooba, but will be catastrophic for BJP

February 4, 2016 Editor

The BJP, which won 25 out of 37 seats in Jammu province in the 2014 state assembly elections is likely to bite the dust if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) refuses to form the government and a mid-term election is forced on the state, experts said. The PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti, is seeking fresh confidence building measures from no less than the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on timely implementation of ‘Agenda of the Alliance’, a document agreed upon by two parties before forming a coalition government in state in March last year. If…

Mehbooba cynosure of all eyes in Jammu

February 3, 2016 Editor

Most prominent visitor former Deputy CM Nirmal Singh adds political flavour Since the moment PDP president Mehbooba Mufti landed in the winter capital city from Srinagar by a private airliner on Tuesday, she has been the cynosure of all political and media eyes. Mehbooba Mufti, whose yes or no on government formation can change the political map of Jammu and Kashmir, landed here for the first time after the death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in New Delhi on January 7, a day the memories of which bring tears…

PDP legislators say ready for midterm polls if need arises

February 2, 2016 Editor

Authorise Mehbooba to convey party stand to Governor Vohra today A day after toughening its stand on government formation, the PDP legislature party today authorised Mehbooba Mufti to put her party’s viewpoint before Governor NN Vohra, who invited her for consultations on Tuesday. In a unanimous decision, the lawmakers made it clear that they were ready for midterm polls if the need arose, indicating that the party might continue its tough stand unless assurances were given to it on the “Agenda of Alliance” at the highest level. The PDP held…

No govt until BJP fulfils Mufti’s vision: Mehbooba

February 1, 2016 Editor

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday told her party’s core group that she was not averse to forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir but this cannot happen unless she has assurances from the ally BJP that her late father’s vision would be fulfilled. Presiding over the meeting of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders, Mehbooba Mufti, according to party sources, said she needed concrete assurances from the coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party that the vision of late chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed about equitable development and peace in the state…