PDP seeks assurance from BJP on Article 370, AFSPA

Says it is still discussing options for government formation including an alliance with the BJP

Jammu and Kashmir looked headed for a short spell of Governor’s rule with key political parties unable to make any significant headway in their consultations towards government formation on Saturday.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) demanded assurances from prospective partners, like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that Article 370 will be safeguarded and Armed Forces Special Powers Act or AFSPA revoked from Kashmir. It said it won’t compromise on its core ideology for the sake of forming the government and that consultations with other parties could take some time.

Article 370, which the BJP, and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) want repealed, gives special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP, however, had toned down its demand for abrogation of Article 370 in its election campaign in the state. The BJP government at the Centre will also find it difficult to convince the Indian Army to agree to revoke AFSPA.

Publicly, both PDP spokesperson Naeem Akhter in Srinagar, and BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav in New Delhi, said their respective parties were consulting with all stakeholders and all options were open. “We have a crucial mandate in Jammu and Kashmir. We will be involved in government formation. Talks are going on. Let's see what happens," Madhav said, adding that PDP or National Conference (NC) should come forward to form the government.

PDP’s Akhter said:"There are certain issues which form our core agenda and require an assurance that these will be accepted by our potential alliance partner, whichever party it might be.” In the election results announced on December 23, the PDP emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats, followed by BJP with 25 seats in the 87 member assembly. The NC has 15, Congress 12 and ‘Others’ and Independents seven seats. BJP claims support of six of these while NC says two Independents support their party.

J&K Governor N N Vohra has invited both PDP and BJP for separate consultations on government formation by January 1. PDP’s Akhter said negotiations hadn’t reached a stage where the possibility of rotational chief ministership be discussed with the BJP. He said the party has considered a proposal from the Congress towards government formation but denied having received any proposal from Omar Abdullah-led National Conference.

Abdullah had tweeted on Friday that his party had conveyed a “verbal offer” to the PDP through an intermediary. Devendra Rana of NC today reiterated his party’s unconditional outside support to a PDP government. Many senior leaders in the PDP consider a pact with BJP politically “suicidal”. Several National Conference leaders are also against their party allying with the BJP. The Congress is willing to support a PDP government but their coalition will be four short of the majority mark of 44.