BJP keeping all options open in govt formation in J-K

With Jammu and Kashmir returning a hung Assembly, BJP today said it is keeping all its "options" open in formation of the new government and is likely to hold back-channel talks with both PDP and National Conference leaders before deciding on its next course of action.
The BJP Parliamentary Board, the highest decision-making body of the party, will meet tomorrow to discuss the political situation and is likely to appoint observers for both J and K and Jharkhand for taking further steps in government formation.
"All options are open. The option of forming a BJP government is open. The option of supporting somebody is also open. The option of joining some government is also open...All three options are open," BJP President Amit Shah said at a press conference after the party emerged as the second-largest party after PDP.

BJP's decision will also depend on the initiatives taken by other parties, Shah said.
Sources said the party's senior leaders will leave for J and K tomorrow after the Parliamentary Board to hold back-channel talks before formal discussions with any of the parties could be held.
After the poll results in J and K and Jharkhand were declared, the BJP top brass met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence and discussed the political situation emerging in the two states.

The J and K Assembly election result has returned a heavily fractured mandate. In the 87-member J&K Assembly, PDP, BJP and NC won 28, 25 and 15 seats respectively.

"BJP will form a government in both the states. The BJP Parliamentary Board will take a decision on how to form the governments," Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh told reporters.
BJP sources said five of the seven newly elected MLAs in the Independents and Others category could also offer support to the party.
BJP general Secretary Ram Madhav said, "It is a mandate in favour of development. What we have offered, we are committed to deliver. I hope that a stable government is formed in the state."
In Jharkhand, where the BJP and its ally AJSU have got an absolute majority by winning 42 of the 81 assembly seats the party leadership is likely to appoint an observer for talking to the elected MLAs to select their leader.