Can’t accept new conditions, says BJP
Can’t accept new conditions, says BJP
With the BJP ruling out government formation with the PDP on the basis of conditions, the chances of reviving the PDP-BJP coalition in Jammu and Kashmir seem slim now. A day after PDP president Mehbooba Mufti met BJP president Amit Shah, indications from the PDP suggested the back-channel talks between the two parties on forming a new government had failed.
The PDP and BJP were running a coalition government headed by PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed until his death in January this year. The PDP toughened its stance after Mufti Sayeed’s death by seeking concrete plans for the state’s development, including handing over of power projects to the state and vacation of land by the Army, before the coalition could be resumed.
Governor’s Rule was imposed in the state on January 8 after Ms Mufti decided against taking over the reins as CM immediately after her father’s death.
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, the party pointsman in the state, went on record saying the stalemate that had existed earlier continued, and conditions could not be the basis for government formation. “There is no progress. As far as we are concerned, there is no change in conditions that existed when Mufti Muhammad Sayeed Saheb was chief minister. The only change is that Mufti Saheb is no longer there and it was for the PDP to appoint a new leader and carry on,” Mr Madhav said.
Asked about the Mehbooba-Shah meeting, Mr Madhav said: “There is no change in our stand. We have told them that a new government should be formed on the basis on conditions that existed earlier.”
Asked about the new demands put forward by the PDP chief, Mr Madhav said in clear terms that “whatever fresh has to done (must be) after government formation... The first thing is that no new demand is acceptable to us and the second thing that if there are new demands then it can be taken up once a new government takes over.” He said a state government always has a right to make demands to the Centre. “A government cannot be formed on the basis of conditions,” he declared. Asked if a new government will be formed, he said: “I cannot say because the stalemate that existed earlier continues.”
The PDP, on its part, said on Friday that all demands put forth before the BJP leadership fell within the parameters of the “Agenda of the Alliance”, the common minimum-programme reached between the two sides for government formation one year ago.
Party sources said that its leadership wanted the Centre to revisit the issue of returning power projects now under the National Hydel Power Corporation to the state. It said: “The ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ clearly states modalities for transfer of Dulhasti and Uri hydro power projects to J&K as suggested by the Rangarajan Committee Report and the Round Table reports would be explored. It also talks about securing a share in the profits of NHPC emanating from J&K waters to the state government, revise all royalty agreements, allot a dedicated coal mine in Madhya Pradesh to J&K with coal reserves of not less than 150 MMT for setting up a pit head thermal plant with equity support from the Government of India, restructure and strengthen the Chenab Valley Power Projects Ltd as a holding company for all hydro power projects in the state and ensure J&K a share in one of the six Ultra Mega Thermal Power Projects.”
