J&K deadlock: Mehbooba Mufti meets Narendra Modi, signals thaw

New Delhi: A meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti could resolve the deadlock over the formation of a government in Jammu and Kashmir.

The nearly 30-minute meeting, described by Mehbooba as good, could revive the prospects of an alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and PDP.

The previous BJP-PDP alliance that was ruling the state collapsed after the death of Mehbooba’s father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in early January.

The PDP chief also said that she was very satisfied with the meeting. Senior leaders of the PDP said that the prime minister’s intervention has helped rebuild trust between the two parties.

Mehbooba has called a meeting of all 27 PDP members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) on Thursday to take a final call on an alliance with the BJP.

“We are seeing a stalemate for last 2-3 months over government formation in the state but today I am satisfied. I am very satisfied. When you meet the prime minister of the country, naturally the solution to the problems faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir is more clear,” said Mehbooba.

With 27 MLAs (down from 28 after Sayeed’s death), in the 87-member assembly, PDP is the single largest party. The BJP has 25. The National Conference has 15 and the Congress 12. Other parties have seven.

The political uncertainty began with the death of Sayeed and has remained unresolved through several rounds of discussions between the BJP and the PDP.

The two parties differ significantly on some important issues. Mehbooba wants the BJP leadership to agree to talks with Kashmiri separatists; repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from some districts; and ask the Army to vacate land occupied by it.

“I had been authorised by party MLAs to take a decision. I have convened a meeting on Thursday and after that we will announce the future course of action. I will go back to Srinagar and take the next step,” Mehbooba said.

The differences between the two parties deepened on 18 March after BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, responsible for sewing up the first alliance between the two parties, said the government-formation process had reached a stalemate. But finance minister Arun Jaitley signalled all was not lost on 20 March during the second day of BJP’s national executive meeting by saying that his party was committed to the agenda of alliance.

“BJP has been committed to the agenda of the alliance that was formed with former chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. We are hopeful that this renewed effort will reach its logical conclusion. The people of the state deserve a government which can work for their development and the development of the state,” said a senior BJP leader from Srinagar who asked not to be identified.

A political analyst said the meeting between Modi and Mehbooba increases the possibility of an alliance. “It is a positive development but it will be interesting to see what she is going to tell her MLAs on Thursday when a meeting has been called. It will also be interesting to see what has been promised to the PDP (by the prime minister),” said Ellora Puri, a Jammu-based political analyst and political science professor at Jammu University.

PTI contributed to the story.