The BJP has reached a deal with PDP to form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir, even as PDP president Mehbooba Mufti met Governor NN Vohra on Wednesday. The party is willing to concede to PDP's demand that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed should remain the chief minister for the full six-year term, say BJP sources.
Meanwhile, Mehbooba Mufti has claimed the support of 55 MLAs.
In the latest reactions regarding government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said that the party's ambition was not to cobble up a majority for the formation of a government, adding that the people of the state had given a decisive as well as divisive mandate.
The former J&K CM also said that the elections results were a great opportunity for UPA and NDA to reach out and that even though PDP had the numbers, there was no point in the formation of a government just for the sake of it.
Earlier on Friday, Vohra had invited BJP state unit president Jugal Kishore Sharma and Mehbooba Mufti for separate meetings.
PDP emerged as the single-largest party with 28 seats in the recently-concluded Assembly elections in the state, which threw up a hung verdict.
BJP managed 25 seats, followed by National Conference (15) and Congress (12). The other parties and independents won seven seats.
Till now nobody has staked a claim for government formation - no single party or combination of parties. The PDP is holding discussions within its party on possible tie-ups which they can enter into to form the next government.
"Sayeed continued consultations with the party's rank and file," Akhtar said. He added that the PDP patron had been meeting party leaders, senior workers, newly-elected legislators and few members of the civil society in an effort to shape the party's response to the stalemate which has been thrown up by the fractured verdict.
Governor's rule will be imposed in the state if an elected government is not put in place by 19 January.
