J&K government formation: Focus on BJP as Hurriyat’s Abdul Gani Bhat meets PDP’s Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

SRINAGAR: In a significant development, senior Hurriyat functionary Abdul Gani Bhat met PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at his residence late on Wednesday evening. It was the first time a top separatist discussed a PDP-BJP tie-up for government formation with any political party in Jammu & Kashmir.

Senior BJP sources said there was headway in government formation and "some big developments have taken place". BJP in-charge of J&K affairs Avinash Rai Khanna, state unit chief Jugal Kishore and senior state official Ashok Khajuria were part of the delegation that met governor NN Vohra on Thursday seeking some more time for government formation.

Asked about a possible BJP-PDP tie-up, Gani Bhat said, "Snakes can marry rats and bulls chase lizards. Anything can happen with reference to government formation. But at present we can say let's not count stars which lie beyond."

There are sharp divisions within the PDP over forming a government with BJP as partner. While Bhat's cryptic remark can't be construed as a support or opposition for a PDP alliance with the BJP, the very involvement of an influential Hurriyat figure in a dialogue for government formation is seen as highly significant.

Probed further, Bhat said Mufti and he are friends who studied together at the Aligarh Muslim University, but who "belonged to two different ideologies". He confirmed Wednesday's meeting saying, "There's no harm in meeting anyone as agendas are not discussed individually." Bhat said peace can't coexist with dispute.

"Till 1999, Kashmir had one dimension when we used to pitch for accordance of right to people for deciding their fate. After that, in my opinion, it has become an issue of survival, not only for Kashmir but for entire South Asia. For development and prosperity, peace and stability is inevitable," he said. In the same breath, he said elections and a new government could in no way undermine the dissent of Kashmiris "who have been struggling for their rights for decades".

Bhat's meeting with Mufti on Wednesday evening came in the wake of his daughter Mehbooba Mufti's meeting the governor earlier that day. Addressing reporters after her meeting with the governor, Mehbooba had slammed the UPA while praising Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Kashmir doctrine.