Srinagar, Feb 18 : With the reports that talks on a proposed alliance between PDP and BJP for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir seems to be running into rough weather over issues like Article 370 and AFSPA, it has come to the fore that both the parties have started crucial round of talks in New Delhi on Wednesdayto iron out their differences over the contentious matters.
“Yes there are differences between the two parties over some issues but to end these differences both the parties have began the crucial round of dialogue in New Delhion Wednesday, one of the leaders who was part of the dialogue told News agency and added that some headway about the government formation has been made.
He said that once the dialogue process on government formation moves ahead, some sort of solution would be arrived on the contentious issues like Article 370, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Settlement of West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs), etc.
He said both the parties have made their stand on key issues known to each other in the talks. “During the talks, both the party leaders with mandate of their respective parties will attempt to hammer out solution to the contentious issue and arrive at a consensus on CMP,â€he said.
The leader, however, said government formation in the State will take some time until CMP is formed in such a way that larger interests of the people of the State are served.
Meanwhile talking to News agency over phone BJP’s National executive member and senior leader Dr Nirmal Singh though said that he cannot say much over the latest developments but asserted that informal talks with the PDP are on and that there are some positive signs in this regard.
“See I have come back from New Delhi today but I can say that back channel talks are on and we are expecting some positive signs over the government formation. I hope that the BJP-PDP coalition government based on Common Minimum Programme (CMP) would be formed in the State soon,†he said.
Sources said that BJP’s National general secretary Ram Madhav and some state party leaders are holding the talks with PDP.
PDP with 28 seats has emerged as single largest party in 87-member J&K Assembly, elections for which were held in November-December. BJP with 25 seats is close second while National Conference and Congress won 15 and 12 seats respectively. The smaller parties and independents won seven seats.
Meanwhile sources told agency that PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, who has been in the New Delhi since last weekend, on Wednesday met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as her party and BJP try to narrow differences over a Common Minimum Programme(CMP) for formation of a government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources told agency that the meeting, which was held away from media glare, took place at the residence of Jaitley, who along with another senior party leader Arun Singh, has been authorized by the BJP to work out ways to form an alliance with PDP.
