J&K to have elected govt next week

Formation of BJP-PDP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir will be announced next week as the two parties have "ironed out" differences on the contentious issues of AFSPA and Article 370 and are giving "finishing touches" to the Common Minimum Programme.
Stating this here today, senior BJP leader of the state Nirmal Singh underlined that the announcement is now just a formality as a "way out" has been found on these two issues.
"The formal announcement would be made next week," Singh, who is being seen as a prospective Deputy Chief Minister of the state, told PTI here about an elected government awaited ever the poll results declared on December 23 last year threw up a fractured verdict.

"A way out has been found as the differences (on contentious issues) have been ironed out," he said, adding "both the parties have shown respect to the sentiments and the core ideology of each other."
He said both the parties are busy giving "finishing touches" to the CMP and the same would be made public before the formation of the government.
Asked whether his party would dilute its stand on the revocation of the AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Power Act) from the state, he insisted, "There is no question on the dilution of our stand. But yes a set procedure that guides such type of laws would be set in place."

Hinting that a decision on revocation of AFSPA from Jammu and Kashmir would be taken by the state government, the BJP leader said, "The Disturbed Areas Act (DAA) comes into force on the recommendation of the state government and AFSPA is imposed in the area where DAA has been in place. It's the prerogative of the state government to decide where to continue DAA or not."
He said "The CMP raises all the issues and both the sides respecting each other's sentiment and stand have reached a consensus on all the issue.