J&K govt soon as BJP, PDP clinch ‘deal’

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) are reported to have finally clinched a deal on forming government in Jammu and Kashmir although the official stance of the two parties is that informal talks were on.

Reports quoting insiders said the two parties have almost clinched the deal and an official announcement would come after a meeting between PDP supremo Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The meeting, at which the two leaders will put their stamp of approval on the ''Common Minimum Programme'' is expected to take place in the first week of February, sources said.

While the contours of the coalition platform have been drawn much earlier, sources said some grey areas were yet to be addressed.

The Modi-Mufti meeting takes place and the two parties agree on the deal, it would set a new precedent for coalitions in the country.

It would also be the first time that the saffron party would be forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir.

BJP had won 25 seats in the recent assembly elections against the 11 seats it won in 2008. PDP, however, won 28 seats, emerging the largest party in the state.

While the details of the agreement are under wraps, reports said most contentious issues have been kept under wraps at the moment and the two have taken up issues that would benefit people of all the three regions of the state without evoking any negative response from any side.

This arrangement has been worked out by emissaries and the leaders of the two parties after exchanging notes on the terms and conditions, say reports.