Efforts on to form NC-PDP-Cong alliance govt in J-K

Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday saw a flurry of political activities, including several meetings among leaders of the PDP, NC and Congress, aimed at cobbling up an alliance to form a new government in the state.

Veteran CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami met National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah here to discuss the feasibility of forming a new government by extending support to the Peoples Democratic Party, said a source privy to the development.

The source said the NC is willing to extend support to the PDP for forming government for now, but wants early dissolution of the assembly, kept in suspended animation since imposition of Governor's Rule on June 19, and eventually an election.

"The aim is to pave way for fresh polls in the state so that an elected government takes charge and the political uncertainty due to the Governor's Rule is put to an end," the source said.

He said the developments so far have been moving in the direction of possible formation of a new government in the state in coming days.

A senior Congress leader here said his party, in principle, supports any alliance that will "keep communal forces" at bay.

"We have been working for a grand alliance at the national level and there is no reason why we oppose any such move in the state as the aim is to keep communal forces out," said the leader.

He, however, added that no decision has been taken as yet on coalition with the PDP or any other party in the state.

Senior PDP leader and Amira MLA Kadal Altaf Bukhari is tipped to lead the government, if the PDP-NC alliance comes to fruition, according to sources.

The PDP has 28 MLAs, followed by NC's 15 and and the Congress' 12. The three parties together will have majority in the 87-member House. The BJP is the second largest party in the state with 25 members.

Coming together of traditionally rivals PDP and the NC would mark a significant realignment of political forces in the state.

The National Conference had offered its support to the PDP after the 2014 assembly polls but the latter had ignored the offer and aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

After the June 19 pull-out, People Conference leader Sajjad Lone is understood to have been approaching disgruntled PDP leaders for forming an alliance with the BJP, the sources said. People Conference has only two MLAs.

Imran Ansari, a former PDP minister, is among those who have been cosying up to the People's Conference.

A former separatist leader, Lone had been successful in breaking away National Conference's chief spokesman Junaid Muttu, who recently contested the urban local body elections and became Mayor of Srinagar.

Muzzafar Beigh, a founder member of PDP, on Tuesday held a press conference where he alleged that the PDP "betrayed the workers, denying them a chance to connect with the people, by boycotting the local bodies elections".