PDP, NC put up united front before Rajnath Singh over Article 35A

BJP sticks to abrogation demand Omar flags concern over GoI’s ambiguity in defending JK’s Special Status in SC Need to maintain status quo on special position of State as per AoA: PDP The ruling PDP and opposition National Conference Sunday put a united front before Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and sought protection and safeguarding of Article 35-A, which grants special privileges to residents to Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmir-based legislators and parties also sought protection of special status of the state but PDP’s ruling alliance partner BJP pitched for…

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PDP, NC fume over BJP minister’s ‘Bullet’ remark

Industries and Commerce Minister Chander Prakash Ganga’s remark against anti-nationals and traitors has triggered a political storm among Kashmir-centric parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party and the National Conference (NC). In a video that has gone viral, Ganga has termed stone-throwers as “traitors”, saying that they were fomenting violence in the Valley on Pakistan’s direction. The minister demanded that such elements be treated with bullets. “All traitors whether they have come from Pakistan or from here (the state) should be treated with bullets. And, if not bullets, they should be…

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PDP, BJP not on same page over petition challenging Article 370

Saffron party reluctant to contest the public interest litigation filed in Delhi High Court Even as the state Law Department has announced that it will fight the petition filed in the Delhi High Court challenging Article 370, the BJP, which is part of the coalition regime, has expressed ignorance about any such decision taken by the government. “I am not aware of any such decision by the government to fight the petition in the Delhi High Court,” said Minister of State for Law Ajay Nanda, who belongs to the BJP.…

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NC, PDP, Cong acting as New Delhi’s collaborators: Rasheed

Warns New Delhi of dire consequences over NEET, separate township issue AIP chief and MLA Langate Er Rasheed Wednesday said NC and Congress have no moral right to condemn or accuse PDP as all these three parties have acted as “collaborators” of New Delhi and were responsible for creation of “Kashmir dispute”. While addressing a public gathering at Qammar in Verinag, Er Rasheed asked people to get united “to get rid of these anti-Kashmiri forces”. “The lust of power among NC and PDP has reduced the regional parties to the…

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PDP, BJP to axe important faces in Mehbooba Govt?

As officials at the Jammu and Kashmir Raj Bhavan and the civil secretariat skipped their Sunday holiday to address protocol and legal issues related to Monday’s swearing-in of an elected government, intense speculation did the rounds on who will get a berth or will be axed in new council of ministers. Governor N.N. Vohra formally invited Mehbooba Mufti, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief, on Saturday evening to be sworn-in as the new chief minister of the state on Monday. Initial reports about the composition of the council of ministers…

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PDP, BJP face April 9 deadline to form govt in J&K

The window for PDP and BJP to sort out their differences and form a government in Jammu & Kashmir is shrinking rapidly as the state assembly, now in suspended animation, must meet by April 9 to avert its dissolution. Though the state came under governor’s rule after PDP patriarch Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed away in January, the relevant date for dissolution of the assembly is October 10, 2015 when it last met. In accordance with Article 53 of Jammu and Kashmir Constitution, there cannot be an intervening gap of more…

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PDP, BJP meeting governor to work on govt formation

Governor, N N Vohra Monday asked PDP and BJP to clarify their stand over government formation following the differences between coalition partners over implementing the commitments in the Agenda of Alliance in a time-bound manner. Sources said the Governor has written to the two parties asking them to clarify their stand on government formation to end the political uncertainty prevailing in the state since the death of former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7. The state has been under Governor’s rule since January 9 when the proclamation was…

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PDP, BJP brass may soon meet for govt formation

Suspense over the government formation in J&K may soon be over as the Peoples Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party are likely to make contact at the highest level to break the impasse. Sources in the PDP said channels of communication between the two parties were already open and they expected a decision on government formation soon. “With the eight-day mourning period over, there is all possibility that a contact at the highest level will be made in the coming days,” said a senior PDP leader and former minister in…

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PDP, BJP on collision course over anti-encroachment drive

BJP leader hits out at CAPD Minister for ‘encouraging encroachments’ on state land The Peoples Democratic Party and the BJP appear to be on a collision course as both parties have taken divergent stands on removing encroachments from state as well as the forest land. Senior BJP leader and state vice-president of the party Chander Mohan Sharma has taken on Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Minister Choudhary Zulfikar Ali of the PDP for “encouraging encroachments” on state land. “It is very unfortunate that a Cabinet minister of the government has…

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PDP, BJP should play constructive role in govt, says Congress

Inderwal legislator and vice-president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Ghulam Mohammad Saroori today said the Congress was committed to satiating the political and economic aspirations of all segments of society. Saroori urged people to come forward and play a crucial role in decision-making at the grass-roots level. The Inderwal MLA was addressing a function at his residence in Kishtwar, where several BJP and PDP workers joined the Congress. He said the BJP and the PDP should play a constructive role in their government and not play vote-bank…

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