Near-total consensus between PDP and BJP: Ram Madhav

BJP today said a near-total consensus has emerged between PDP and BJP over the formation of the government and that swearing-in will take place as and when PDP leadership decides. “Today our party has sent a letter to the Governor stating that from our side we are ready to form the government whenever the PDP leadership decides to move ahead and we are ready to join them.

“That means now, near-total consensus has emerged between the two parties and I hope that very soon the remaining formalities, swearing in of cabinet will take place,” BJP national General Secretary Ram Madhav told reporters this evening.

He said BJP and PDP have decided to come together again and form the government in the state and have announced support to the leadership of Mehbooba Mufti, who take up the post of Chief Minister.

“As you all know that BJP and PDP have come together again to form the government in the state. We have in principle announced our support to the leadership of Mehbooba Mufti for the chief ministerial post, to the effect we have sent a letter to the Governor also,” he said.

He said subsequent talks took place between two parties in Jammu in the last few days and yesterday morning Mehbooba and BJP deputy chief ministerial candidate Dr Nirmal Singh had a detailed discussion.

“(After the talks) It was decided that parties should go ahead and form the government as soon as possible,” he said.

On a question about the in-principle support to PDP leadership, he said both the parties had felt the need to discuss further and now everything had become clear.

“The first meeting with the Governor happened on a very short notice and the need was felt that both the parties should sit together and discuss basic modalities of the formation of new government.

“We conveyed to the Governor that there should be no doubt about our support to Mehbooba Mufti government. Those discussions have taken place in the last three four days and after yesterday’s talks between Nirmal Singh and Mehbooba Mufti, everything became clear and now both the parties are going forward,” he said.

“Clean government, good government, development-oriented government is our priority. It is also good that Jammu and Kashmir is getting its first woman chief minister. Our congratulations to her,” he said.