Mehbooba Mufti meets governor, wants CBMs from Centre

Mufti refused to specify the CBMs

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti maintained suspense over government formation as she met Governor N N Vohra here and set certain conditions to ally BJP, including confidence building measures (CBMs) by the Centre for peace and development of Jammu and Kashmir.

Talking to reporters after meeting Vohra who had invited her to clarify her stand, Mehbooba said the state, which is different from others, needs a "good atmosphere, space and a fillip" if a new government is to be formed.

She said her late father Mufti Sayeed, without bothering about his "political career", had aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the hope that the Centre will bring out the state from the difficult situation it is in.

The governor had invited Mehbooba as part of effort to end political uncertainty that has been prevailing in the state for nearly a month since Sayeed, then Chief Minister, passed away on January 7.

While remaining evasive on what she told the governor over government formation, the PDP chief said, "Jammu and Kashmir is a different state, there are different challenges. In Jammu and Kashmir, there are several forces which need to be tackled. We need the Centre to be fully with us."

Repeatedly asked about what she wants from the Centre, Mehbooba said there was a need for CBMs.

Refusing to specify the CBMs, she referred to the 'Agenda of Alliance', saying it had been firmed up at the highest level by the two parties last year.