BJP to get PDP support for two Rajya Sabha seats

NEW DELHI: The BJP and the People's Democratic Party ( PDP) may have put off any further talks on government formation in Jammu and Kashmir till after the end of the Delhi elections, but the Rajya Sabha polls to four seats in the state is forcing a temporary tie up at the Centre.

Top sources in the BJP confirmed to ET that the party had almost confirmed PDP's support for two out of the four seats going to polls on February 7th. The last date for filing nominations is January 28th. Party sources also confirmed that BJP national vice president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe would be the party's nominee for one seat from Maharashtra vacated due to the demise of former petroleum minister Murli Deora.
"There is more or less agreement on Vinayji's name, the Jammu and Kashmir nominees would be locals," said a source.

The two parties are in talks for government formation as well, but this election will in all likelihood force the two parties hands. The election commission issues two notifications for the four seats, two of the seats require 44 first preference votes for a candidate to win in the 87 member House, while two other seats require 29 first preference votes.

There is also speculation that there might be a minor Cabinet expansion before the Budget session of Parliament with the inclusion of Anil Desai of the Shiv Sena into the council of ministers and a replacement, from the Maharashtra quota since minister of state for consumer affairs and food and public distribution, Raosaheb Danve has been made Maharashtra BJP chief. In this context, Sahasrabuddhe's Rajya Sabha berth acquires more significance.

For the Congress, elections to Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir are quite crucial as the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad's term would also be ending at the end of the month. Sources say that Azad is trying hard to talk to the National Conference for support to be re-elected.