Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is set to be the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister after his party reached an agreement for forming a government with the BJP, top party sources said on Saturday.
"Yes, main agreement has been reached on the draft of the CMP (Common Minimum Programme) on contentious issues like article 370, armed forces special powers act (AFSPA) and the plight of West Pakistan refugees," a top party source said.
"It has been agreed that without any written reference to it, both the parties would respect the wishes of the people of the state in consonance with the constitution of the country with regard to article 370."
As per the agreement, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be the chief minister for the full six years, reports IANS.
The PDP has softened its stance on the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act; there will be no timeline on AFSPA revocation. There will also be no direct reference to article 370 - the law that grants special autonomous status to J&K.
The CMP will also be made public before government formation, reports NDTV.
Sources further said that only a nuanced mention of Kashmir's constitutional position will be made.
Talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PDP veteran Mufti Mohammad Sayeed are likely to take place in the next few days.
The deadline for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir is 23 February.
PDP won 28 seats in the state elections, while BJP came away with 25 seats.
