Indo-Asian News Service
Jammu, Feb 21: PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be the new chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir two months after the Assembly elections, as his party and the BJP finally arrived at an agreement on forming an alliance government in the state.
Sources close to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron told IANS Saturday an agreement had been reached on all contentious issues between the two parties.
‘‘Yes, the main agreement has been reached on the draft of the common minimum programme (CMP) on contentious issues like Article 370, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the plight of West Pakistan refugees,” a party source told newsmen.
“It has been agreed that without any written reference to it, both the parties would respect the wishes of the people of the state in consonance with the Constitution of the country with regard to article 370,” the source added.
The PDP has 28 legislators while the BJP has 25.
Sayeed returned to the winter capital Jammu Friday after spending a week in Mumbai.
As per the agreement, he will be the chief minister for the full six-year term.
A PDP insider, who is engaged with the BJP in the dialogue process on government formation on behalf of his party, said that instead of accepting the demand that the AFSPA should be revoked from the entire state within a year, it has now been agreed by the two parties that a committee would be formed which would recommend gradual, but timely, revocation of the Act from areas in the state.
Sources in the BJP said: “The PDP has agreed to the BJP demand that the CMP should accept that the problems faced by west Pakistan refugees should not be politicised, but treated as a humanitarian issue that needs to be addressed on humanitarian grounds.’’
Asked about media reports that government formation in the state was imminent because the PDP and the BJP had agreed on the draft of the CMP, party chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar told IANS: “I am meeting Mufti sahib and if anything has been worked out, we will hold a briefing about it during the day.’’
