Arch rivals Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference may join hands to form a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir along with the Congress.
Former state Finance Minister and senior PDP leader Altaf Bukhari on Wednseday confirmed talks were on. “It is true that we have joined hands to form government and to defend the special status of the State,” Bukhari said, adding people in the state will soon get “good news”.
He said Article 370 and 35A are “our main issues” and government formation is needed to safeguard special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources in the PDP said the alliance would be formed between the PDP and the Congress and the NC would support the government from outside.
Another senior PDP leader said the party would stake claim to form government within next 48 hours.
Sources also said Mehbooba Mufti doesn’t want to head the new coalition government and Bukhari is emerging as frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post for the possible grand alliance.
Senior NC leader Nasir Aslam Wani said he cannot rule out that talks were on between “like-minded parties” to take Jammu and Kashmir out from the quagmire.
“But structured discussions have not taken place yet.”
“We have been arguing that India and Pakistan should talk. We have been arguing that the government should talk to the separatists. If three mainstream regional parties are talking to each other, what is the harm in it,” Wani told Outlook amid speculations that the three parties have reached consensus to stake claim to form government.
In the wake of these political developments, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Sharma and chief secretary have been summoned to Delhi.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also confirmed the talks but said “they were not at the stage of government formation yet”. “We were discussing why not come together and form a government. But talks are on as a suggestion,” Azad said.
The BJP dismissed the reported move and said the three parties were joining hands on "Pakistan's direction".
“These parties boycotted Urban Local Bodies polls on the direction of Pakistan and now they are forming an alliance on the direction of Pakistan,” BJP senior leader Kavinder Gupta said.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is in suspended animation since June this year after the BJP withdrew support from the PDP and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti resigned.
One of the alternatives being presented for government formation is a third front led by Peoples Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone, with rebel PDP legislators and the BJP. Another choice is an alliance between the PDP-NC and the Congress.
The PDP has 28 MLAs, NC 15 and the Congress 12. Peoples Conference has two MLAs, BJP 25 and Lone needs dissidents from the NC, PDP and Congress to reach majority mark of 44. Four legislators from the PDP have already joined Lone’s party.
On Tuesday, PDP co-founder and MP Muzaffar Hussain Baig warned that Jammu and Kashmir would trifurcate if PDP, National Conference and Congress stitch up an alliance and expressed his willingness to join Lone if a third front was formed in the state.
“I will seriously consider joining the third front. Peoples Conference is like home to me and Sajad Lone is like a son. If Sajad is interested in the third front, he should be encouraged,” Baig said.
Baig described the formation of any alliance between the PDP, National Conference and the Congress as dangerous and said it would trifurcate Jammu and Kashmir as people of Jammu and Ladakh will not accept it.
