BJP’s Olive Branch to Mehbooba Mufti

SRINAGAR: The BJP Sunday extended an olive branch to the People's Democratic Party for forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir after the death of PDP patron and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed last week.

Speaking to reporters at Dara Shikov Park in Bijbehara where the late Chief Minister was buried following his death at AIIMS on Thursday, senior BJP leader and former deputy Chief Minister in PDP-BJP coalition, Dr Nirmal Singh, said his party will like to "proceed where we left" after the CM's demise.

"We will take a call on government formation once we receive a formal communication from the Peoples Democratic Party. I am sure that we will proceed from where we left after the death of Mufti saheb. I hope things will continue to function smoothly between BJP and PDP as they have been during the 10-month tenure of the alliance,” Dr Singh, who participated in the Rasm-e-Chahrum of Sayeed in Bijbehara, said.

Thousands of people from different parts of the state and outside converged at Dara Shikov Park Sunday to mourn the demise of Sayeed. Emotions ran high as the PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti, walked into the park accompanied by her family. She sat by the side of her father's grave and wept throughout the ceremony while her family members were seen consoling her.

Speculations are rife that all is not well in the coalition with the PDP leadership upset at the right-wing party after its local and a section at national leaders started talking of a fresh bargain which has driven fissures in the coalition.

Sources in the PDP said there is anger in the party over the manner in which the BJP leaders showed reluctance in extending support to Mehbooba, who is likely to take over as the next and the state's first woman Chief Minister.

Sources said Mehbooba is not speaking her mind to anybody which has spiked tensions in the right-wing party. "The leaders of the coalition are meeting both formally and informally in Srinagar as well as in Jammu. It was only after Ram Madhav's directions in his brief meeting with his lawmakers that they will not talk to the media which has prevented further escalation in tensions.," a BJP leader said.